A man convicted of raping university student a will spend the next 25 years in prison.
Thulebona Cyprian Khumalo (35) was found guilty of raping a 19-year-old UKZN student, at the KwaDukuza regional court last week.
Khumalo attacked the student with a bush knife in Thembeni on March 1 last year, when she had been waiting for family members to fetch her from a bus stop. He took her cellphone and raped her.
The incident was reported to KwaDukuza SAPS, who traced Khumalo through the victim’s cellphone. A positive DNA sample then linked him to the rape.
This was crucial in the conviction as the victim did not know Khumalo and would not have been able to identify him. 
Khumalo pleaded guilty to rape and robbery with aggravating circumstances and asked the court for a lenient sentence.
Magistrate T Ncube concurred with state prosecutor Vincent Mntambo and refused to deviate from the minimum 25-year sentence.
KwaDukuza SAPS detective Mnyandu was commended for his role in securing the conviction.