Scottburgh Regional Court jails Braemar rapist to 15 years
The court also ordered that the man's name be entered into the National Register for Sex Offenders.
A 37-year-old man received a 15-year direct imprisonment sentence from the Scottburgh Regional Court for the rape of a woman in May 2024 in the Braemer area.
As the accused and the complainant are known to one another, the accused’s name is being withheld to protect her identity.
Evidence before the court revealed that on the day of the incident, the complainant was on her way to a tuckshop when she met the accused.
He approached her and asked to accompany her, and she refused. He followed her and eventually pulled her into bushes and raped her.
Children playing nearby heard the complainant’s screams. The children went to the scene, and the complainant told them to go and inform the elders of what was happening. The accused then fled, leaving his pants and hat behind.
The children notified other community members and the complainant’s boyfriend, who rushed to the scene.
The complainant informed them that the accused had raped her; she was taken to a hospital for medical assistance, and a case was opened.
He was arrested after the complainant identified him.
In court, State Prosecutor Thanusha Govender led the testimonies of the complainant, as well as the community members who found her at the scene. The medical doctor who examined the complainant at the hospital also testified for the State.
Govender handed in a Victim Impact Statement compiled by the complainant and facilitated by court preparation officer, Nokukhanya Mkhize. In her statement, the complainant said that she has flashbacks of the incident and lives in fear. She said that she feels helpless following the incident.
The accused was charged with rape in terms of Section 51(2), Part 2 of Schedule 2 of Act 105 of 1997, which carries the prescribed minimum sentence of 15 years’ imprisonment. He was also declared unfit to possess a firearm, and the court ordered that his name be entered into the National Register for Sex Offenders.
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