A 44-year-old man has been sentenced to life imprisonment plus 20 years by the Dundee Regional Court for the rape of his partner and two counts of attempted murder.

Appearing before Magistrate Anton ‘AJ’ Ferreira on August 8, the court heard that the couple lived together at the complainant’s home. On 8 April 2023, an argument broke out while the woman was outside washing clothes. The accused struck her with his fist, forced her inside, hit her with a steel object, and hacked her on the head with a bush knife. She sustained serious injuries but only sought medical treatment the following day.

That night, the man tied her hands and feet with rope, raped her repeatedly, and strangled her with a belt until she lost consciousness. She was held captive before eventually escaping to report the matter. Initially, she disclosed only the assaults to police, with the rape later revealed during court proceedings.

State Prosecutor Sonto Rebecca Sithole presented testimony from the complainant, a medical doctor, and the prosecutor who first heard the rape disclosure. A victim impact statement described the devastating emotional toll of the attack, with the complainant saying she had to undergo counselling to recover from the trauma.

The accused was handed a life sentence for rape and 10 years each for two attempted murder charges. He was also declared unfit to possess a firearm.

The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) welcomed the outcome.
“We remain committed to fighting gender-based violence and will continue to pursue justice on behalf of victims,” said NPA spokesperson Natasha Ramkisson-Kara.

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