Constable SS Hlatshwayo of the Ladysmith Family Violence, Child Protection & Sexual Offences Unit has been applauded for securing a conviction and a hefty sentence in a rape case.

Sithembiso Andries Zulu (38) was sentenced to 20 years’ direct imprisonment in the Ladysmith Regional Court recently, and was also declared unfit to possess a firearm. Zulu stood accused of rape.

The crime was committed in November 2022 in the Hofentaal area of Upper Tugela.

Zulu was returning from a sports event in Estcourt, with a group of teenagers from a local school. The last passenger was a 17-year-old girl. He told her to sit in front with him and after driving for a short while, he stopped the vehicle and locked the doors.

He wasted no time in satisfying his carnal desires, raping her and ignoring her pleas to stop.

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Knowing that his victim had a love for sport, he said she should not forget that he was in charge of sport at a local municipality. He drove off, leaving her close to her home.

The following day, the traumatised and confused victim reached out to her sister in a text, detailing her traumatic experience. However, she was afraid and warned her sister not to reveal her secret, threatening suicide.

Her sister immediately told their mother, who then reported the rape to Upper Tugela police. Officers wasted no time in arresting the suspect. The case was investigated by Constable Hlatshwayo of the Ladysmith FCS Unit.

Zulu was charged and appeared in the Bergville Magistrate’s Court, where bail was opposed by the state. After several remands, the case was finalised in the Ladysmith Regional Court. Even though there was no DNA evidence, strong evidence from the victim sealed the fate of the accused.

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