Two men have been sentenced to a combined 20 years imprisonment, after been found guilty of rape.
The first incident took place on January 1, 2014, when the first suspect raped his 12 year old niece in Blaauwbosch.
Out of fear, the child remained silent and only reported the crime to her grandmother on March 12, 2014.
The grandmother immediately reported the crime to the police and Newcastle Family Violence Child Protection and Sexual Offences (FCS) Unit began its investigations.
The child was sent for a medical examination and it was confirmed she had indeed been raped.
During the course of the investigation, the suspect left for Mpmulanga in the hope of evading arrest.
While none of the family members knew exactly where he was, they contacted him telephonically to request for him to return home.
After five months, investigating officers managed to persuade him to come home, where he was promptly arrested on August 24, 2014.
After nearly three years of investigation and the resultant court proceedings, the culprit was finally sentenced to 20 years imprisonment on August 2.
The second incident took place on March 23, 2016, when a 19 year old woman was raped on the way to her sister’s house in oSizweni.
According to Newcastle SAPS Corporate Communications and Liaison Officer, Captain Jabulani Ncube, the incident took place when the young woman had been returning from a store. “She was accosted by a man, who was only known to her by sight. The suspect overpowered and raped her, before fleeing the scene.”
The matter was reported to the police the following day and the Newcastle FCS Unit was tasked with the investigation. The suspect was arrested on March 25, 2016, and positively identified by the victim.
The case was taken to trial at Madadeni Regional Court and the accused was convicted and sentenced on August 2, 2017, to 10 years imprisonment.
While these two rapists were now behind bars, Director of the Newcastle Crisis Centre, Mary Dobbie, emphasised that rape was still a major and ongoing scourge to society.
“A lot of girls are told to keep quiet, as the rapes are often incestuous. The girls are too frightened to come forward.”
She encouraged victims to break the silence and report what had happened to family, SAPS or the Newcastle FCS Unit as soon as possible.
“Only when you step forward and start talking, can the healing process begin,” she concluded.
