GBV Accused Sentenced To Life Imprisonment For Rape
The De Aar Regional Court. has sentenced Monde Nyeshe (33), to life imprisonment for rape. The accused who had a previous conviction of rape, in 2008, where he was sentenced to 7 years imprisonment, before being released on parole, was facing four counts of rape. On the night of 05 December 2012, the accused met the complainant at a tavern at night and escorted her to her house. Along the way, the accused asked the complainant to stop at his house, so that he could fetch a jacket. When they arrived at his house, the accused lured the victim into his house and then proceeded to rape her. She later got an opportunity to escape from his house. The accused ran after the victim, dragged her back and proceeded to rape her again.
The second incident happened on the night of 16 July 2017, when the accused met the complainant and her boyfriend, who is the accused nephew at a tavern. Later in the night, the victim together with her boyfriend and the accused left the tavern and proceeded to his home. When they arrived at his house, the complainant and her boyfriend wanted to go to bed, so the accused proceeded to threaten the boyfriend with a knife. The boyfriend ran away to seek help and the accused proceeded to rape the complainant. The matter was reported to the police and the accused was arrested.
The trial commenced in 2019, but could not continue because on numerous occasions, the accused kept on hiring and firing several attorneys and advocated for his trial. When the trial finally started, State Adv. Corrie Jonker argued that the court should sentence the accused to life imprisonment. After a long-protracted trial, the Regional Court Magistrate, Mrs Venter sentenced the accused to life imprisonment, notwithstanding his 6 years of incarceration period, when the trial could not proceed which was upheld.
The Director of Public Prosecution in the Northern Cape is encouraged by the sentence of life imprisonment, given to the accused, as it will send a clear message to the perpetrators of Gender-Based Violence, that the National Prosecuting Authority and Police are serious about fighting the scourge of GBV within the communities.
Issued by:
Mojalefa Senokoatsane
NPA Regional Spokesperson
Northern Cape Division
073 423 3539