The Nelspruit Sexual Offences Court convicted and sentenced a 38-year-old Pienaar man to 10 years’ imprisonment for the rape of a woman (25) who was his friend.
According to the Mpumalanga National Prosecuting Authority’s spokesperson, Monica Nyuswa, the rape took place on August 25, 2019. She said the accused was travelling with a group of known friends, including the victim and her boyfriend, from Mbombela to Pienaar that day.
Nyuswa said the victim requested the accused to keep her personal belongings inside his bag for safekeeping. After she had left the group of friends in a taxi, she realised she had left behind her belongings with the accused, and went to his house to get them back.
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When she arrived at his house, he raped her before handing her her belongings. When she was escaping the accused’s house, she fell outside and injured her leg. Nyuswa said she had reported the rape to her friends and boyfriend, and it was also reported to the police. The man was subsequently arrested.
“In court, he denied the allegation and claimed that the sexual intercourse was consensual. State Prosecutor Magda Marais relied on the evidence of the victim, her friends, her boyfriend and her mother. Medical evidence and the evidence of the arresting officer were also led. The court found their evidence credible, and the accused was found guilty,” she said.
Magistrate Vanessa Joubert took into consideration the accused’s circumstances, the interest of justice and the seriousness of the offence of which the accused was convicted, before sentencing him.
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