NELSPRUIT – A 27-year-old man was sentenced to life imprisonment on Friday for the rape of a 36-year-old woman in a public toilet in 2009.
Vusi Ntuli was found guilty and sentenced in the Regional Magistrate’s Court. Ntuli raped the woman at Nelcity on April 12 that year. Magistrate Mr André Geldenhuys sentenced him to life imprisonment for the rape, as well as five years for housebreaking with the intent to commit robbery.
Geldenhuys recounted what had happened that day. He said Ntuli had somehow managed to enter the public toilets which had a locked security gate, with the purpose to commit a robbery.
The victim and her husband had arrived at the shopping centre early that morning. She was not feeling well and her husband went to buy her a cold drink while she went to the bathroom.
As she was bending over the toilet, retching due to a migraine, Ntuli grabbed her from behind and shoved her against the wall where he proceeded to first sodomise her before raping her. He also grabbed all her jewellery and personal belongings.
He was interrupted by the husband, who then broke off one bar of the security gate to squeeze through to save his wife. Ntuli had by then fled the scene.
Two weeks later, the police caught him while he was walking down the street on the R40 near Hoërskool Bergvlam after a tip-off by an informant. Ntuli tried to flee but was arrested.
The victim then positively identified him through a one-way mirror during an identity parade. He said she immediately pointed out the accused due to a distinctive mark on his forehead. Geldenhuys said the victim had stated his face had been burned into her memory. He said despite no trace of DNA being left due to Ntuli being interrupted by the husband, he was guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
Geldenhuys stressed that even though Ntuli had been a glue sniffer and was in and out of Weskoppies mental hospital, his problems stemmed from his own doing. “He is a danger to society, and as the law we have a duty to protect people against the likes of him.”
