Ninety-one Eastern Cape rapists were sentenced to life imprisonment between April and last week.
Other sexual offenders were also sentenced to heavy prison terms.
Velile Mendwana, 32, was sentenced to life behind bars by the Mqanduli Regional Court last week for raping a 22-year-old pregnant woman on December 21 2014.
National Prosecuting Authority regional spokesman Luxolo Tyali said Mendwana, of Bonga village in Mqanduli, had followed his victim home from a local tavern and repeatedly raped her until the next day.
“In aggravation of sentence, the state led the evidence of the victim, who told the court that she was pregnant when she was raped and that the father of her then unborn child dumped her when he was told about the rape,” Tyali said.
East London-based Masimanyane Women’s Support Centre director Lesley-Ann Foster said she was surprised by the hefty sentence meted out to Mendwana, as life terms were normally reserved for rape cases involving young children.
She said, however, there seemed to be inconsistencies with the justice system when it came to sentencing rapists as some escaped with only a “slap on the wrist”.
Eastern Cape provincial police commissioner Lieutenant General Liziwe Ntshinga commended police detectives from the Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences unit for thoroughly investigating cases and presenting well-prepared dockets to courts, without which there could not be successful prosecution of rapists.
“The diligent work and expert investigations by FCS members played a crucial role in securing these sentences and making sure the perpetrators are removed from society,” Ntshinga said.
Ntshinga said the dedication of investigators had been rewarded when Mzikayise Mkavu, 27, was sentenced to 228 years in jail by the Port Elizabeth High Court recently for a number of serious crimes including rape.
Mkavu terrorised the KwaNobuhle community from July 2008 until last year and raped many of his victims.
Alindile Mnyameni, 26, was sentenced to 20 years’ imprisonment for raping a 23-year-old woman in 2014.
Samkelo Nyembezi, 29, was sentenced to life in prison by the Maluti Regional Court for raping an 11-year-old girl. — sikhon@dispatch.co.za
91 EC rapists sentenced to spend life behind bars
Other sexual offenders were also sentenced to heavy prison terms.
Velile Mendwana, 32, was sentenced to life behind bars by the Mqanduli Regional Court last week for raping a 22-year-old pregnant woman on December 21 2014.
National Prosecuting Authority regional spokesman Luxolo Tyali said Mendwana, of Bonga village in Mqanduli, had followed his victim home from a local tavern and repeatedly raped her until the next day.
“In aggravation of sentence, the state led the evidence of the victim, who told the court that she was pregnant when she was raped and that the father of her then unborn child dumped her when he was told about the rape,” Tyali said.
East London-based Masimanyane Women’s Support Centre director Lesley-Ann Foster said she was surprised by the hefty sentence meted out to Mendwana, as life terms were normally reserved for rape cases involving young children.
She said, however, there seemed to be inconsistencies with the justice system when it came to sentencing rapists as some escaped with only a “slap on the wrist”.
Eastern Cape provincial police commissioner Lieutenant General Liziwe Ntshinga commended police detectives from the Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences unit for thoroughly investigating cases and presenting well-prepared dockets to courts, without which there could not be successful prosecution of rapists.
“The diligent work and expert investigations by FCS members played a crucial role in securing these sentences and making sure the perpetrators are removed from society,” Ntshinga said.
Ntshinga said the dedication of investigators had been rewarded when Mzikayise Mkavu, 27, was sentenced to 228 years in jail by the Port Elizabeth High Court recently for a number of serious crimes including rape.
Mkavu terrorised the KwaNobuhle community from July 2008 until last year and raped many of his victims.
Alindile Mnyameni, 26, was sentenced to 20 years’ imprisonment for raping a 23-year-old woman in 2014.
Samkelo Nyembezi, 29, was sentenced to life in prison by the Maluti Regional Court for raping an 11-year-old girl. — sikhon@dispatch.co.za
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