LIFE IMPRISONMENT FOR RAPIST TAXI DRIVER
The Madadeni Regional Court has sentenced a 31-year-old man, to life imprisonment for the rape of a 14-year-old girl in April 2021, in the Osizweni area. On the day of the incident, the girl who was pregnant at the time was returning home from her boyfriend’s house when she boarded a metered taxi driven by the man. Her boyfriend knew the man and entrusted him to take her safely home.
However, en route, the man pretended to look for a petrol station and eventually took the girl to a secluded spot, where he raped her. He then gave her water to wash so that there would be no traces of his DNA. The girl immediately reported the incident to her boyfriend, who informed some community members, and the man was apprehended.
The girl was taken to the Madadeni Thuthuzela Care Centre, where she received the necessary psycho-social services, counseling, and support. She subsequently suffered a miscarriage.
In court, the man denied the allegations, saying that the girl had gotten off his taxi and taken another. However, in proving the state’s case, Regional Court Prosecutor Simphiwe Scelo Hlela, led the evidence of the complainant, the first report (her boyfriend), and the doctor who had examined her.
The National Prosecuting Authority welcomes the successful finalisation of this matter, as it affirms our commitment to curbing the scourge of gender-based violence. We commend the work done by the Prosecution and SAPS.
