A 63-year-old man who held his lover captive and repeatedly raped her over two weeks has been sentenced to life imprisonment by the Nelspruit Sexual Offences Court.
National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) regional spokesperson Monica Nyuswa said between November 1, 202,8 and November 18, 2018, the 53-year-old victim went missing from her home in TV Trust, KaBokweni. A missing persons file was opened.
“Nine days after her disappearance, the victim managed to steal the accused’s phone and called her sister, telling her that she was locked up at the accused’s place and that she needed help,” said Nyuswa.
Police were immediately dispatched to the location. When the accused refused to open the door, they forced entry and discovered the victim inside, severely malnourished and traumatized.
In court, the accused pleaded not guilty and denied all allegations.
State Prosecutor Leana Jones presented compelling evidence, including testimony from the victim, who said the accused had threatened to kill her if she reported the abduction.
She described being repeatedly raped, deprived of food and water, and forced to relieve herself in a bucket during her captivity.
“J88, showing injuries, was also presented as part of the evidence. The court found the state witness reliable and rejected the accused’s version. The accused was convicted of rape and kidnapping,” Nyuswa.
During sentencing, Prosecutor Jones told the court that the accused’s actions would have a lasting effect on the victim’s health by causing her to re-live the horrifying incident. She urged the court to impose the prescribed minimum sentence.
The magistrate agreed, finding no substantial or compelling reasons to deviate. The accused was sentenced to life imprisonment for rape and an additional 10 years for kidnapping.
His name will be entered into the National Register for Sexual Offenders, and he has been declared unfit to possess a firearm.
“Each of these successful prosecutions is the culmination of months and even years of painstaking investigative and prosecutorial work and exemplifies hundreds of similar cases prosecuted successfully daily,” said Nyuswa.
“This sentence demonstrates the seriousness with which the criminal justice system addresses gender-based violence,” she added.
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