3 days Ago By hmetro zimbabwe
A 48-year-old South African man has been handed a life sentence for raping his girlfriend of eight years in the house they both shared. In arguing for the lengthy sentence, the prosecutor had told the court that even though his girlfriend was crying in pain, the man continued to rape her as if they were not in a relationship and as a result, he should be sentenced to life imprisonment for his actions. The incident happened on November 28 2022 in Carnarvon – a small town in the Northern Cape Province of South Africa- just as the couple was preparing themselves for bed after arriving home from visiting friends.
A spokesperson for the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) in the Northern Cape, Mojalefa Senokoatsane, said the man, who can’t be named to protect the identity of his 36-year-old victim, then told her to take off her clothes as he was also busy undressing. “He then started to force his girlfriend to sleep with him and she refused as she stated that she was having her period. He nonetheless forcefully turned her around on her stomach and he tried to force himself.
“The suspect then said to the complainant that if she loved him, she would allow him to be intimate with her. Even though the complainant did not consent to any of this, the suspect forced himself on her. Though the complainant begged him to stop as it was painful, he continued.
“After a while, the suspect went into another room and that’s when the complainant got the chance to escape. “The victim ran to the police station from her home to report the matter. The case was reported to the police, and the victim was taken to hospital for medical examination.
” Senokoatsane said the man was arrested the following day. He then appeared in the Carnarvon district court and then decided to abandon bail and was in custody until the matter was concluded at the Carnarvon regional court. According to Senokoatsane, the traumatised victim was able to express herself with the assistance of court preparation officer Trott Manghana through a victim impact statement during the trial.
“The victim told the court how the events of that day had changed her life as it was done to her by a person she trusted, and she was expecting him to be her protector. That he violated her in a manner that did not show that he ever loved her. That it will take a very long time to trust people again.
“In aggravation of sentence, prosecutor Adv Corrie Jonker put it to the court that a clear message needed to be sent that, even if the victim and the accused are in a relationship if the accused is found guilty of abusing his partner they will be sentenced accordingly. “The accused even when he heard the victim crying in pain, continued to rape her as if they were not in a relationship. That the court should sentence the accused to life imprisonment for his actions,” said Senokoatsane.
In sentencing, the court found that there were no substantial and compelling circumstances that would justify a deviation from the prescribed minimum sentence. The court sentenced the accused to life imprisonment, and he was also declared unfit to possess a firearm. The South African NPA will continue to prosecute these matters that affect the safety and wellbeing of our communities to ensure justice for victims of crime by arguing for harsher sentences for the perpetrators, Senokoatsane said -Sowetan.
.
