Belfast man sentenced for rape and theft he committed 17 years ago
The incident occurred in 2008 in Machadodorp.
A 35-year-old man was sentenced to life imprisonment for rape, and an additional three years for theft, in the Belfast Regional Court last Wednesday.
Kenneth Magagula (35) was sentenced for raping a woman and stealing her cellphone in Mthonjeni near Machadodorp on October 28, 2008.
According to the National Prosecuting Authority’s (NPA) provincial spokesperson, Monica Nyuswa, the court ordered Magagula’s inclusion on the National Register for Sex Offenders and declared him unfit to possess a firearm.
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“The case highlighted the importance of persistence in investigations and community co-operation in delivering justice. Despite the incident occurring 17 years ago, the NPA’s efforts, combined with effective police work, finally brought closure to the victim,” she said.
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Nyuswa said the Mpumalanga director of public prosecutions, Sonja Ntuli, praised the prosecutor and investigating team, stating that the sentence affirms their relentless pursuit of gender-based violence perpetrators, ensuring accountability and restoring dignity for victims – no matter how long it takes.
Nyuswa said the NPA’s collaboration with Thuthuzela Care Centre provided much-needed psychosocial support to the victim, reflecting its victim-centric approach.
