Man sentenced to 22 years for rape in Nkomazi
A Zimbabwean national raped a woman in Naas, Nkomazi, in January 2023. The Boschfontein Magistrate’s Court recently convicted and sentenced him to 22 years’ direct imprisonment.
The Boschfontein Magistrate’s Court convicted and sentenced a 49-year-old Zimbabwean national to 22 years’ imprisonment today, February 27, for raping a 24-year-old woman in Naas, Nkomazi, on January 12 last year.
The Mpumalanga National Prosecuting Authority’s Monica Nyuswa said in a statement that the man had received information that the victim was unwell. Nyuswa said he had pretended to be a sangoma and went to her homestead on January 12, to offer to cleanse the victim.
He found the victim and her mother sitting outside. He applied a certain powder on the victim’s body and took her inside the house. He further instructed the victim to undress, claiming that he was casting out evil spirits. He then raped her.
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The victim informed her mother, and the police were alerted while the victim was taken for medical treatment.
Nyuswa said the accused had admitted visiting the victim’s house in court, but denied the allegations of rape. To prove his guilt, state advocate Skhumbuzo Nkosi led evidence of the victim, the first report and a medical report confirming that the victim had sustained injuries.
A victim impact statement was presented in court. In it she stated that she had moved out of Nkomazi after the incident, as she was constantly living in fear and could not take care of her child, and she even attended counselling to help deal with the situation.
The accused was sentenced to 22 years’ direct imprisonment.
