Madadeni court hands Osizweni rapist a hefty jail sentence

The Madadeni Regional Court has given Sibusiso Gift Zwane (30) a life sentence for the November 2017 rape of a 73-year-old woman in the Osizweni area.

Natasha Ramkisson-Kara, regional National Prosecuting Authority spokesperson, said Zwane was jailed for a further two years imprisonment for housebreaking with intent to commit an offence unknown to the state.

The elderly woman was in her house when Zwane broke in.

“She asked Zwane what he was doing there, but he did not respond and raped her.”

At some point, she managed to escape and called her daughter for help. The victim and her daughter saw Zwane leave the premises.

“The victim was taken to the police station, where a case was registered. She was later taken to the Madadeni Thuthuzela Care Centre for medical and psychosocial assistance.

In court, Prosecutor Cindy Alberts led the testimony of the victim and her daughter as well as medical evidence relating to the rape charge.

“Zwane (through his legal representative) attempted to cast doubt on the victim’s testimony by saying that her eyesight must be poor due to her age.”

However, the victim was able to give details of a scar that looked like a burn mark behind Zwane’s ear. She had seen this mark up close when he had raped her.

The court ordered that his name be entered into the National Register of Sex Offenders, and he was declared unfit to possess a firearm.

“The NPA welcomes this successful prosecution. It is our mandate to prosecute on behalf of the victims of crime,” she concluded.

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