ON Christmas Eve in 2011, a 19-year-old woman from the Mkhayideni area of Mzingazi was raped at knifepoint.
She and her boyfriend were out walking when they were attacked by a man.
Her boyfriend fled and she was dragged into bushes behind a homestead and sexually assaulted.
More than three years elapsed before the victim spotted her assailant in Richards Bay on 8 February, 2015.
She contacted the police and the man was arrested in a taxi heading towards Mzingazi.
The victim was able to formally identify him and DNA evidence positively linked him to the crime.
Sphamandla Ntuli (34) of eSikhaleni appeared in the Richards Bay Regional Court on Monday where he was found guilty on three counts by Magistrate Moodley.
He was sentenced to 10 years imprisonment on the first count of rape, three years for escaping from prison and 15 years for robbery with aggravating circumstances.
Counts two and three will run concurrently.
Ntuli was also deemed unfit to possess a firearm.
ALSO READ: Life sentence for Mtubatuba rapist
HAVE YOUR SAY
Like our Facebook page and follow us on Twitter.
For news straight to your phone invite us:
WhatsApp – 072 069 4169
Instagram – zululand_observer
