LIFE IMPRISONMENT FOR RAPIST
The Ezakheni Regional Court has sentenced a 26-year-old man to a term of life imprisonment for the rape of a 16-year-old girl in December 2023. On the night of the incident, the complainant visited her friend who is the accused’s stepsister. While they were watching movies, the accused who lives somewhere else, visited there as well. The girls slept in one room while the accused was given another room to sleep in. At some stage, the electricity went off and the complainant needed the bathroom. The accused lent her his cellphone with the flashlight on and told her to return the phone to him in his room. When the complainant went to return the phone, the accused grabbed her and raped her. He told her not to tell anyone what he had done. At that point, the electricity came back on, and the complainant ran to her friend. She immediately told her friend what had happened. They then stayed awake for the rest of the night out of fear that the accused may come to hurt them. In the morning, the two left the house and informed the complainant’s mother about the incident. A case was opened, and the complainant was taken to a clinic for medical assistance. The accused was arrested a few days later.
In the state’s case, Prosecutor Cwayita Ngcongo led the evidence of the complainant and her friend who was the first report in the matter. The doctor who examined the complainant at the clinic was also called to testify. Further, Ngcongo handed in a Victim Impact Statement compiled by the complainant and facilitated by Court Preparation Officer, Khulekani Professor Mthembu. In her statement, the complainant said that she was traumatised by the incident, and she is now afraid of male persons. She feels ashamed and feels like an outcast in society. The accused was sentenced accordingly, and he was declared unfit to possess a firearm. Further, the court found him unfit to work with children and ordered that his name be listed in the National Register for Sex Offenders.
The NPA welcomes the successful finalisation of this matter. Together with our partners in the crime prevention cluster, we will pursue justice on behalf of the victims of crime.
