Young man sentenced to life imprisonment for the rape of an elderly woman
YOUNG MAN SENTENCED TO LIFE IMPRISONMENT FOR THE RAPE OF AN ELDERLY WOMAN
A 32-year-old man, Ephraim Matshela Madiba of Elandskraal has been convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment for the rape of a 90-year-old woman by the Groblersdal Regional Court in Limpopo. During the trial, the accused pleaded not guilty, and the state led evidence of a neighbor who called the police to the scene. The victim also testified about how the ordeal of 31 July 2022 unfolded. She told the court that it was in the early hours of the morning when the accused broke the window with a stone and entered the house. The accused strangled her whilst demanding money, raped her and thereafter hacked her with a panga. The accused then ransacked the house and took an amount of R500 in cash, and a mobile phone. She lost consciousness, and when she regained stsrength, she found herself in a pool of blood. She was then assisted by her neighbours who alerted the police. She was later admitted to Matlala Hospital, and sexual penetration was confirmed by the doctor.
The accused is a well-known person to the complainant and stays in the same neighbourhood. Police arrested him and a bloodstained knife was recovered. In aggravation of sentence, the prosecutor, Mmushi Mathebe argued that crimes against women and children remain a key priority to eradicate Gender Violence (GBV) Mathebe further argued that the accused violated a defenseless elderly woman and that such barbaric behaviour cannot be tolerated. He also submitted that the accused should be removed permanently from the society. In sentencing, the presiding officer, Marais described the accused as a predator who preyed upon the defenseless and most vulnerable victims, to quench his covetousness and selfish needs. The accused was then sentenced to life imprisonment and the court declared that his name be recorded in the sexual offenders register and further declared him unfit to work with children and unfit to possess a firearm.
The Director of Public Prosecutions, Advocate Ivy Thenga, welcomed the sentence and remarked that there is no excuse for violence against women and children and perpetrators should receive harsh sentences. She further commended the good work done by prosecutor Mathebe and Sergeant Lesetja Langa of the Mokopane FCS Unit.
Kind regards,
Mashudu Malabi-Dzhangi
NPA Regional Spokesperson
Limpopo Division
0748233603/ 015 045 0286