Man Charged With Gang Rape Sentenced To Life In Prison

The Lusikisiki Regional Court sentenced Patrick Mapholoba Maxhakana (23) and Sandile Nyenyiso (29) to life imprisonment for raping a 17-year-old girl. On 04 September 2020, the victim was with her friends and her boyfriend, consuming liquor at a local tavern in Nkunzimbini village in the district of Lusikisiki.  She received a call from Nyenyiso, to whom she had given her cell phone number earlier on that day.

He asked her to accompany him to his homestead to fetch a jersey but she refused, later she met Maxhakana, whose Facebook love proposal she had also rejected.  After hugging and kissing the victim, Maxhakana asked her to spend time with him but she returned to her friend and boyfriend who were still enjoying themselves in another room in the tavern.

The victim later left the tavern to the boyfriend’s place, while sleeping they were interrupted by Maxhakana and Nyenyiso who were demanding that she come out.  She asked her boyfriend not to open the door, as she was afraid they would hurt her but he opened the door. The two men chased and assaulted her, threatened them with a knife and dragged them to a nearby river where they forced her to bathe in cold water.

They then proceeded to take turns raping the victim, threatening to kill her if she told anyone about the incident. The following day, the victim reported her ordeal to her school principal, who took her to the police station and the Thuthuzela Care Centre (TCC), and the duo was arrested. During the trial, they pleaded not guilty.  Prosecutor Siyabonga Macebo led the evidence of the victim, her friend and boyfriend, as well as the medical report from the TCC to prove their guilt in court. 

Welcoming the sentence, Eastern Cape Director of Public Prosecutions, Barry Madolo, commended the meticulous presentation of a chain of evidence by the prosecutor as collected by the investigating officer and the team at the Thuthuzela Care Centre.

Issued by:

Luxolo Tyali

NPA Regional Spokesperson

Eastern Cape Division

Tel: 0475012630

Cell: 0735559292

Email: ltyali@npa.gov.za