MAN SENTENCED TO TEN YEARS IMPRISONMENT FOR RAPE OF HIS EX-GIRLFRIEND
The Nelspruit Sexual Offences Court convicted and sentenced a 28-year-old man from Barberton to ten years of direct imprisonment for the rape of his ex-girlfriend in 2018. Before the rape incident, the victim and the accused were residing together as they have kids, they separated in April 2017, and parted ways. Then on 23 August 2018, the victim went to fetch the children from the accused’s parental home. Along the way, she met the accused who became aggressive towards her.
He forced her to go to his place of residence to talk and when they arrived, he locked her in the bedroom and raped her. He then forced the victim to spend the entire night with him. She reported the matter to her family and the police were alerted, the accused was arrested in 2018, and denied bail.
In court he claimed consent, but state prosecutor Leana Jones led evidence of the complainant who told the court about how the rape ordeal unfolded. She further said she was afraid of the accused and was aggressive. Her evidence was supported by the evidence of the first reporter, who testified from what she observed from the victim when she reported the ordeal.
Magistrate Vanessa Joubert took into consideration the time the accused spent in custody awaiting trial and sentenced the man to ten years of direct imprisonment.
