The Ladysmith Regional Court has sentenced 33-year old Mbuso Lucky Phakathi to 12 years in prison for rape.

The crime was committed in April 2023. A 40-year-old woman from the Emmaus area was collecting water from a river when a man approached and forcefully began to undress her.

She fought back, screaming, but her assailant overpowered her and she was raped. The victim, however, did not stop fighting and screaming for help.

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Two individuals heard her screams and went to see what was happening. They intervened and the rapist fled.

Warrant Officer Esak Bafanana Masondo from the Ladysmith Family Violence, Child Protection & Sexual Offences Unit was tasked with the investigation. He left no stone unturned in trying to locate the suspect, informing detectives and officers at all the police stations in the district. As a result, by the end of April, Phakathi was arrested by officers from Estcourt SAPS. He was hiding in their area.

Bail was opposed and Phakathi remained in custody until he was sentenced in the Ladysmith Regional Court recently. He will spend the next 12 years of his life behind bars.

Phakathi has also been declared unfit to possess a firearm and his name has been entered into the National Register for Sexual Offenders.

Warrant Officer Masondo welcomed the sentence, saying that ‘the victim as well as the two state witnesses gave strong and credible evidence, which helped to secure the sentence’.

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