VRYBURG MAN SENTENCED TO LIFE IMPRISONMENT FOR RAPE
The Vryburg Magistrates` Court sentenced Tshepiso Brown (33), to life imprisonment for raping a 30-year-old woman.
The conviction emanates from an incident that occurred on 19 September 2020, in Huhudi township near Vryburg whereat the accused hosted the victim, who was his neighbour and other friends at his home. The other friends left at a later stage and the victim indicated that she will leave after finishing her drink. Shortly after the friends had left, Brown asked the victim to have sex with him to which she refused. Brown subsequently assaulted her and dragged her to his bedroom, where he repeatedly raped her before, freeing her the next morning.
The victim went home and told her mother about her ordeal, and she immediately advised her to report the matter to the police, as to why she did. He was arrested on 21 September 2020, and the court denied him bail. Brown pleaded not guilty to the charge, and he insisted to the court that he had consensual intercourse with the victim.
In aggravating of the sentence, the state prosecutor Adv Baakeleng Mothibi urged the court not to deviate from the prescribed minimum sentence of life imprisonment. He argued that the accused had previous convictions of assault with grievous bodily harm, as well as one of culpable homicide. He further argued that the sed destroyed the trust that the victim had in him.
Magistrate Patricia Rangwako agreed with the state and highlighted the prevalence of gender-based violence and the responsibility the courts have in sending a strong message to offenders and wannabe offenders.
The Director of Public Prosecutions in North West, Dr Rachel Makhari Sekhaolelo, lauded the prosecutor and the investigating officer for a collaboration that yielded a desired outcome. “Rape should never be tolerated and the criminal justice system should continue dealing harshly with perpetrators of this offence”, she concluded.
