The Verulam Regional Court recently sentenced two men to life imprisonment on each of three counts of rape they committed in August 2023.

The rape occurred in the Sokombo area of Ndwedwe, with the court delivering the judgment during the current 16 Days of Activism for No Violence Against Women and Children campaign.

National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) regional spokesperson, Natasha Ramkisson-Kara said the 26-year-old victim, who knew the men as relatives, was assaulted while walking home late at night. After consuming alcohol with friends at a local tuck shop and later at a nearby homestead, the complainant fell asleep. Upon waking, she realised her friends had left and decided to head home, only to encounter the accused.

The men, aged 34 and 62, grabbed her, subjected her to a brutal sexual assault and fled, leaving her severely injured. She was rushed to the Phoenix Thuthuzela Care Centre, where she received medical and psychological assistance.

Evidence, including a medical report and testimony from the examining doctor, corroborated her account. The court also heard the injuries she suffered required surgery. Prosecutor Winile Shangase submitted a Victim Impact Statement, in which the complainant expressed her trauma and determination that the men face justice.

“Even though I had consumed alcohol, I did not deserve to be violated. They have ruined my life and I do not wish to ever see them again,” she said.

Ramkisson-Kara said she hoped sentences like these would serve as a deterrent.

“The NPA, along with our justice cluster partners, remains steadfast in pursuing justice for victims of crime,” she said.

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