A 38-year-old man was recently sentenced to life imprisonment in the Scottburgh Regional Court for the rape of an elderly woman in KwaCele.

According to South Coast Herald, the man cannot be named to protect the victim’s identity.

The 64-year-old woman was asleep in her home on January 18, 2023, when she felt a presence in her room and woke up.

The accused grabbed her and used his hand to cover her mouth to stop her from screaming.

“He told her that he would do as he pleased, and thereafter, he would give her R200,” said NPA regional spokesperson Natasha Ramkisson-Kara. “He overpowered the complainant and raped her.”

The woman’s screams alerted her daughter, who confronted the rapist. He then fled the scene by climbing through the bedroom window.

The victim and her daughter were able to identify the man, and he was arrested shortly after at his home.

Prosecutor Thanusha Govender told the court that the circumstances of the offence were inhumane. “The complainant had a right to feel safe in the sanctity of her own home. However, the accused invaded her privacy.”

Govender submitted the J88 medical form and a DNA analysis report as evidence.

The man was convicted and also declared unfit to possess a firearm.

The NPA welcomed the life sentence, stating that elderly persons are protected by legislation due to their vulnerability and have the right to live in a peaceful and safe environment.

“The NPA is committed to ensuring that justice is served, particularly in cases involving crimes against the most vulnerable members of our society – our elderly,” said Ramkisson-Kara.

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