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Madadeni Courts take tough stance on rapists

Recent convictions of rape proves that the justice system ensures that such heinous crimes are solved intensively.

November 27, 2018

Newcastle Advertiser 3 minutes read

Madadeni Court judges seem to have taken a firm stance against violence directed at women, particularly in rape cases.

This message was made loud and clear following the recent life sentences handed down to those found guilty of rape.

Read the following two cases where criminals were brought to justice.

Dannhauser

A Dannhauser teenager and her mother found justice in the Madadeni High Court recently when their rapists were handed 18 life sentences and an additional 15 years for robbery.

The first three sentences were handed down when Madadeni High Court convicted and sentenced the three accused to a total of 15 terms of life imprisonment.

They wereeach sentenced to five terms of life imprisonment for raping the daughter and 15 years imprisonment for housebreaking and robbery with aggravating circumstances.

One of the accused named Khumalo was given an additional three terms of life imprisonment for raping the girl’s mother.

The court heard evidence that the three men, Siboniso Magnifi cent Malevu (29), Vusumuzi Sibusiso Zungu (29) and Thokozani Andries Khumalo (30) broke into the teen’s home in the Fairbreeze Area on an evening in February 2017 and found the 17-year-old alone at home with her nine-year-old brother, sleeping.

KZN SAPS Spokesperson Colonel Thembeka Mbele reveals the horrific details of the crime:

“She (the teenager) was repeatedly gang-raped and various household items were taken. A case of rape and robbery was opened at the Dannhauser Police Station and assigned to the Newcastle Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences Unit for investigation,” she stated.

Col Mbele further reveals that the mother, who had been working in Johannesburg at the time
and on hearing about the rape, returned home to take care of her traumatized children.

That was not to be the end to the family’s ordeal.

One of the three attackers, hearing about police investigations into the incident, returned a month later to exact his revenge on the teenaged girl.

He again broke into the house while the mother was asleep. He attacked the mother, held her at knife point and told her he was there to kill her daughter for opening a police case.

When he discovered that the daughter was not at home he turned his vengeance on the mother and raped her repeatedly.

After surviving the attack the mother opened a second case of rape against her attacker.

Diligent investigations by Dannhauser police and members of the Newcastle Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences Unit led to the swift arrests of all three men just three days after they were positively identified by both victims in an identification parade.

Their heinous actions were later confirmed by DNA evidence.

ALSO READ: Local family in shock at senseless murder of relative in Lydenberg.

osiZweni

It has been a long road to justice for an Osizweni resident (44) who was gang raped at gun and knife point by two men in her home while taking care of her 10-year-old grandson some five years ago.

After the rape, the two men reportedly ransacked her home and fled with a DVD player, cellphones and other household items.

She reported the attack at the Osizweni Police Station sometime in 2013 after which the docket made its way to the Newcastle Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences Unit for investigation.

“Police worked tirelessly to find the suspects and through DNA they successfully managed to arrest one suspect, Sipho Wiseman Mthombeni (29) who was also wanted in another house robbery case,” revealed Col Mbele.

Mthombeni, after his first court appearance, was denied bail and kept in custody until his final court hearing and sentencing.

Madadeni High Court recently passed down a guilty verdict and sentenced Mthombeni to life imprisonment for the rape of the woman and a further 15 years for the robbery. The second suspect is still at large.