Don’t Look Away | Man who raped his children’s mother sentenced

A Northern Cape rapist was sentenced in the Galeshwew Regional Court sitting in Kimberley for the rape of his children’s mother. 

The 30-year-old man, who cannot be named to protect the victim from secondary trauma, was found guilty of three counts of contravening a protection order and a count of rape. 

On June 28, 2022, the man, who had a protection order against his name, forced the mother of his children to go to where he stayed.

The court heard the accused had a history of abusing the victim and contravening the protection order against him. 

He assaulted the mother of his children until she bled. He continued assaulting her and choking her. 

He went on to rape the woman four times that evening. Later the victim managed to report the matter to the police and he was arrested and charged.  

During the trial, the woman detailed the physical and emotional abuse in the victim impact statement. She also stated how she feared for her life. 

State Prosecutor Advocate Shareen Links argued that the boyfriend showed no remorse for his actions throughout the lengthy trial. Links said he raped and abused the mother of his children. 

The prosecutor further argued that the accused did prove or place any substantial and compelling circumstances on record for the court to deviate from the minimum sentence in respect of the count of rape and that the court should sentence the accused to life imprisonment.

The court sentenced the boyfriend to life imprisonment for the rape and one year direct imprisonment for each count of contravening the protection order. 

The provincial spokesperson, National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), Mojalefa Senokoatsane welcomed the sentencing. 

“The National Prosecuting Authority applauds the work of the prosecution team, that ensured that another dangerous criminal was removed from society, particularly during the commemoration of the 16-Days of Activism Awareness Campaign Against the Abuse of Women and Children,” Senokoatsane said. 

robin.francke@iol.co.za

IOL