Man gets life for raping a sangoma
During the trial, the accused pleaded not guilty to the charge and his explanation was that the grandmother had invited him to her house.
BURGERSFORT – The streets of Tubatse are minus one rapist. A 39-year-old man from Moroke, Solly Surprise Ntlwane, was sentenced to life imprisonment on Thursday by the Burgersfort Regional Court after he had
been found guilty of raping a 75-year-old grandmother.
The incident happened on April 16, 2019, when the victim, a traditional healer, gave Ntlwane overnight accommodation as she knew his father.
“During the night, Ntlwane left the bedroom he was given to sleep in and went to the woman’s bedroom and raped her five times. After the ordeal, Ntlwane told the complainant that he would bring her milk and bread the following day.
“In the morning the victim told her neighbours that Ntlwane had raped her. She was taken to hospital and medical
examination confi rmed that indeed there was penetration,” the National Prosecuting Authority’s Mashudu Malabi-Dzhangi said.
Malabi-Dzhangi said when Ntlwane came back later to bring the food, he was arrested by neighbours who were waiting for him at the woman’s house.
During the trial, the accused pleaded not guilty to the charge and his explanation was that the grandmother had
invited him to her house. She denied that version and told the court that she last had had sexual intercourse 30 years ago. The court rejected Ntlwane’s version and convicted him of rape.
“The victim impact report compiled by a social worker was submitted to court to demonstrate the impact the rape had on the woman. It is stated in the report that the woman was now scared to help her male clients as a
traditional healer,” added Malabi-Dzhangi.
In aggravation of sentence, the prosecutor, Ntuweleni Tshikotshi, said, “If life imprisonment cannot be imposed on
this case, when can it be imposed, as the complainant is classified as a vulnerable person? The woman is a helpless old lady who could not fight back. Old people need to be protected from such barbaric behaviour.”The court agreed with the state and sentenced Ntlwane to life imprisonment.
The Limpopo’s director of public prosecutions, Adv Ivy Thenga, welcomed the sentence, fi rmly believing that it
will send a strong message to would-be offenders.
