LIFE IMPRISONMENT FOR RAPING GIRLFRIEND
The Carnarvon Regional Court has sentenced a 36-year-old man(Who cannot be named to protect the victim) to life imprisonment after he was convicted on a charge of rape of his 48-year-old girlfriend.
On the evening of 28 November 2022, the victim and the accused who was also her boyfriend of 8 years at the time of the incident, were visiting their friends before they left for their residence. Upon arriving at their place and preparing themselves for bed, the accused told the victim to undress herself as he was also busy addressing. He then started to force his girlfriend to sleep with him and she refused as she stated that she was having her period. He nonetheless forcefully turned her around on her stomach and he tried to penetrate her in the back.
The suspect then said to the complainant that if she loved him, she would allow him to penetrate her. Even though the complainant did not consent to any of this the suspect forced himself on her. Although the complainant begged him to stop as it was painful he continued. After a while, the suspect went into another room and that’s when the complainant got the chance to escape. The victim ran to the police station from her home to report the matter. The case was reported to the police, and the victim was taken to hospital for medical examination.
The accused was arrested on 29 November 2022 and appeared in the Carnarvon District Court. During his appearance in the district court, the accused chose to abandon bail and was in custody until the conclusion of the matter in the Carnarvon Regional Court.
During the trial, with the assistance of the Court Preparation Officer (CPO) Mr. Trott Manghana, the victim who was very badly traumatized by these events, expressed herself by way of a Victim Impact Statement. The victim told the court how the events of that day had changed her life as it was done to her by a person she trusted, and she was expecting him to be her protector. That he violated her in a manner that did not show that he ever loved her. That it will take a very long time to trust people again.
In aggravation of sentence, Regional Court Prosecutor Advocate Corrie Jonker put it to the court that a clear message needed to be sent that, even if the victim and the accused are in a relationship if the accused is found guilty of abusing his partner they will be sentenced accordingly. That the accused even when he heard the victim crying in pain, he continued to rape her as if they were not in a relationship. That the court should sentence the accused to life imprisonment for his actions.
In sentencing, the court found that there were no substantial and compelling circumstances that would justify a deviation from the prescribed minimum sentence. The court sentenced the accused to life imprisonment, and he was also declared unfit to possess a firearm.
The National Prosecuting Authority will continue to prosecute these matters that affect the safety and well-being of our communities to ensure justice for victims of crime by arguing for harsher sentences for the perpetrators.
