Eugene Plaatjies was also convicted of child abuse and assault with intent to do grievous bodily harm in the Western Cape High Court.
His daughter, three-month-old Anthonique, died at Red Cross Children’s hospital, a day after she was admitted on June 13, 2014.
Acting Judge Nolita Kose on Monday said she found it “very difficult to accept the version of the accused” and had no doubt that he “inflicted and consequently caused the death of the deceased”.
During the trial, the forensic pathologist who performed the autopsy, testified that the infant had sustained multiple bruises, multiple fractures, severe closed head injuries, mulitple skull fractures, a laceration of the liver, fractures of the ribs and a contusion of the lung. The baby had both fresh and old fractures and had been “chronically abused”.
The pathologist said the extensive fractures of the skull would have been caused by banging the baby’s head against the wall or kicking her in the head.
