He forced his ex-girlfriend into his home, beat her with a car radio aerial, raped her twice, and locked her in a room without food for three days.
Picture; iStock
Warning: This story contains details of rape, physical violence and gender-based violence that some readers may find distressing.
The Bethlehem Regional Court sentenced 36-year-old Tshidiso Mofokeng to life imprisonment for the brutal rape and kidnapping of his ex-girlfriend in Reitz, Free State.
National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) prosecutors successfully argued for the maximum penalty following a three-day ordeal that left the victim hospitalised.
A three-day nightmare
On 8 December 2025, Mofokeng confronted the victim as she walked home from a local tavern. Fearing his known history of domestic violence, she went with him to his residence under coercion.
Once inside, Mofokeng beat the woman with a car radio aerial, raped her, and locked her in a room without food. He raped her a second time on the following day while keeping her trapped inside the house.
The victim eventually escaped her confinement on the third day by calling out to neighbourhood children through a window, urging them to contact her mother.
“Her mother immediately went to Mofokeng’s residence and demanded her daughter’s release,” the prosecution stated, noting that bystanders had to carry the weakened victim to a vehicle to transport her to a hospital.
Justice served
Police arrested Mofokeng shortly after the victim reported the assault.
Investigating officer Constable Mosikili, from the Bethlehem Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences (FCS) Unit, worked alongside the prosecution to ensure the court denied Mofokeng bail.
During sentencing proceedings, Regional Court Prosecutor Jaco Scholtz pushed for the harshest possible sentence.
“The accused showed no mercy towards the complainant, subjecting her to repeated rape, physical violence, and unlawful confinement,” Scholtz argued, submitting that the heinous nature of the crime demanded life imprisonment.
The court agreed with Scholtz’s submissions and sentenced Mofokeng to life imprisonment.
“This successful prosecution sends a clear message that perpetrators of gender-based violence and sexual offences will face the full consequences of their actions,” the NPA spokesperson Mojalefa Senokoatsane stated following the verdict.
Senokoatsane welcomed the court’s decision, describing the outcome as particularly significant given that it coincided with Women’s Month.
“A time when South Africa reflects on the rights, safety, and dignity of women and reaffirms its collective commitment to eradicating gender-based violence.“
