MAN SENTENCED TO LIFE IMPRISONMENT PLUS TEN YEARS FOR RAPE
The Tzaneen Regional Court convicted and sentenced a 32-year-old man, Clifford Baloyi, to life imprisonment plus ten years for two counts of rape. The convictions and sentences emanated from incidents that took place in June 2017, at Lwandlamuni village. Baloyi would target women from Nwamitwa village, accosted and forced them to secluded areas at knifepoint, where he raped them. One of his victims was a minor girl of 14 years and was threatened with a knife. The accused was unknown to the victims and the community.
During the trial, Baloyi pleaded not guilty to all charges and the Regional court prosecutor led the testimonies of the victims and medical doctor. The accused was also linked by DNA. The prosecutor also submitted Victim Impact Statements (VIS) detailing how the incidents negatively impacted the victims. Victims expressed the humiliation and trauma they suffered because of the ordeals. The court found him guilty as charged. In arguing for an appropriate sentence, prosecutor Emmanuel Phatudi submitted to the court that rape is a serious offence which is a humiliating, degrading and brutal act which invades the privacy and dignity of the victims. He submitted that there were no substantial and compelling circumstances justifying a lesser sentence. The prosecutor further argued that the court should not deviate from the prescribed minimum sentence of life imprisonment.
The Regional Court Magistrate, Mrs Antolize Lamminga, agreed with the state and remarked that how he committed the offences shows that women are not safe to walk in public freely and he was not remorseful. One of the victims is now suffering from depression because of the incident.
The Director of Public Prosecutions, Ivy Thenga welcomed the sentence and hoped that the imposed sentence would indeed send a strong message to would-be offenders and further commended Prosecutors and investigating officer Sergeant Mulungwa of Family Violence Child and Sexual Offences in Tzaneen.
