A man who raped and assaulted a school teacher and her son in Hamburg in November last year has been sentenced to 41 years in prison.
Mandla Mfumamfuma Gzezengana, 30, of Hamburg was sent to jail last week by the Bhisho High Court.
He was found guilty of rape, housebreaking with intent to commit robbery, robbery with aggravating circumstances and assault with intent to commit grievous bodily harm (GBH).
Peddie police spokesman Constable Mkululi Mayoli said the sentence was welcomed by the community.
“He got 14 years for rape, 15 years for robbery with aggravating circumstances, five years for assault GBH and seven years for housebreaking with intent to commit robbery,” said Mayoli.
The victim, whose identity is protected because she is the victim of a sexual crime, spent weeks in an East London hospital recovering from her injuries.
At the time residents accused police of failing to respond on time despite the local police station being just 500m from the victim’s house.
However, police detectives managed to arrest the suspect a few weeks later.
Gcezengana broke into the victim’s house through a garage window. The victim and her son were living alone in their three-bedroom home.
The incident happened when the two were asleep.
The victim woke when she felt grabbing at her arm.
She wrestled with Gcezengana but he eventually overpowered her and hit her on her head with an axe. She was left unconscious for hours.
The 10-year-old boy was woken by the commotion and went to his mother’s room. He tried to switch on the lights, but the mains had been switched off. Gcezengana also attacked the boy with an axe.
When the victim regained consciousness, her son was in the room, bleeding from a gash to his head.
Yesterday the victim said she was happy with the sentence but questioned police investigations saying she would have loved to have seen the suspect in person in court.
“I expected to go and testify in the high court next month and the next thing I receive a call saying the suspect has been sentenced.
“I wanted to ask him questions because there are names that he mentioned when he attacked me,” said the victim.
Mayoli said their police cluster commander, Noluthando Magazi said the sentence will deter many would-be criminals. — bonganif@dispatch.co.za
Rapist sentenced to 41 years
Mandla Mfumamfuma Gzezengana, 30, of Hamburg was sent to jail last week by the Bhisho High Court.
He was found guilty of rape, housebreaking with intent to commit robbery, robbery with aggravating circumstances and assault with intent to commit grievous bodily harm (GBH).
Peddie police spokesman Constable Mkululi Mayoli said the sentence was welcomed by the community.
“He got 14 years for rape, 15 years for robbery with aggravating circumstances, five years for assault GBH and seven years for housebreaking with intent to commit robbery,” said Mayoli.
The victim, whose identity is protected because she is the victim of a sexual crime, spent weeks in an East London hospital recovering from her injuries.
At the time residents accused police of failing to respond on time despite the local police station being just 500m from the victim’s house.
However, police detectives managed to arrest the suspect a few weeks later.
Gcezengana broke into the victim’s house through a garage window. The victim and her son were living alone in their three-bedroom home.
The incident happened when the two were asleep.
The victim woke when she felt grabbing at her arm.
She wrestled with Gcezengana but he eventually overpowered her and hit her on her head with an axe. She was left unconscious for hours.
The 10-year-old boy was woken by the commotion and went to his mother’s room. He tried to switch on the lights, but the mains had been switched off. Gcezengana also attacked the boy with an axe.
When the victim regained consciousness, her son was in the room, bleeding from a gash to his head.
Yesterday the victim said she was happy with the sentence but questioned police investigations saying she would have loved to have seen the suspect in person in court.
“I expected to go and testify in the high court next month and the next thing I receive a call saying the suspect has been sentenced.
“I wanted to ask him questions because there are names that he mentioned when he attacked me,” said the victim.
Mayoli said their police cluster commander, Noluthando Magazi said the sentence will deter many would-be criminals. — bonganif@dispatch.co.za
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