27-year-old man arrested for allegedly raping 101-year-old granny

South Africans are outraged by the news of a 27-year-old man who allegedly raped an elderly woman in the Sekhukhune district on Saturday, 27 July.

According to Colonel Malesela Ledwaba, the 101-year-old victim was asleep when she was awakened by the suspect, who attempted to strangle her before raping her.

The suspect, who broke a window to gain entry, fled the scene after the incident.

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Police were notified, and a manhunt ensued. The suspect was identified and arrested at his home shortly after the incident.

The suspect appeared before Zaaiplaas Periodical Court last Monday on charges of housebreaking and rape.

The Provincial Commissioner of the South African Police Service in Limpopo, Lieutenant General Thembi Hadebe, strongly condemned the rape of the elderly woman and praised the swift arrest of the 27-year-old man, who resides in the same neighborhood.

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“This despicable act of violence against a vulnerable member of our community is met with the full force of our commitment to justice. The rape of an elderly woman is not just a crime against an individual but a deeply disturbing assault on our society’s values and sense of safety,” said Lieutenant General Hadebe.

The suspect was remanded in custody until 8 August 2024 for a bail application.

Man sentenced for rape

In a separate incident in Kimberley, the Mothibistad Regional Court sentenced a 25-year-old man to 28 years in prison for kidnapping and rape.

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The court heard that on Saturday, 13 February 2021, the 13-year-old victim and a friend went to a tuckshop in Bathlaros. The accused accosted the pair, dragged the victim into a nearby house and threatened her with a knife before raping her.

The victim reported the incident to her grandmother, who contacted the police. A case was opened, and the accused was subsequently arrested.

On Wednesday, 31 July, the 25-year-old man was sentenced to eight years’ imprisonment for kidnapping and 20 years for rape. The sentences will run concurrently. He was also declared unfit to possess a firearm. His name will be entered into the National Register for Sex Offenders, said Sergeant Molefi Shemane.

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Detective Constable Tholakele Beauty Majola from the Kuruman Family Violence, Child Protection, and Sexual Offenses Unit (FCS) headed the investigation.