Two rapists who were caught in the act and stabbed by the mother of their victim, dubbed Lion Mama, were sentenced to 30 years in prison.
Judge Mbulelo Jolwana, of the Mthatha High Court in Cacadu magistrate’s court complex on Friday sentenced Xolisa Siyeka, 24, and Mncedisi Vuba, 31, who had been found guilty of raping a 27-year-old Zwartwater woman in an unoccupied house in the early hours of September last year.
Lion Mama killed a third rapist, Zamile Siyeka, when she found the gang raping her child in the family home.
Lion Mama was arrested and charged with murder and attempted murder, but the charges were withdrawn against her on October 9 2017. As judge Jolwana handed down the sentence, a woman suspected to be a relative of one of the two men jumped from her chair and went out of the court.
Speaking outside the Cacadu magistrate’s court, Lion Mama said she was happy with the sentence and hoped that young people will learn from the sentence.
“I would have been happy with the sentence even if it was my own child. The case caused division in the villages as people interpreted the outcomes of the court in their way before it was finalised,” she said.
She said at first she did not like people donating money to her as she believed that some would be taking their last penny to support her.
“I ended up accepting the donations as it came from the bottom of their hearts. I appreciate the support we have been receiving,” she said.
NPA spokesperson Luxolo Tyali said they were happy with the sentence but had wanted the rapists to be sentenced to life in prison.
“We hope that it will send a message to men out there this festive season to not to rape women,” he said. Judge Jolwana said he considered the physical and emotional pain caused by the rape on the victim.
“Her dignity was crushed and she will always relive the spectacle of that day,” he said.
He said he had considered all evidence before court, the seriousness of the crime, that it happened under the influence of alcohol, that the men had spent 15 months in prison and that they were stabbed on the day of the crime.
“It can’t be that when women get drunk that she must be raped and abused. “Women like the victim have the right to enjoy themselves with alcohol, like men,” he said.
He said the two men saw the survivor as an object of entertainment, abused her, took turns raping her while others watched.
He said the prescribed minimum sentence for the crime was life in prison. However, if circumstantial and compelling circumstances existed the court could impose a lesser sentence.
“I concluded that circumstantial and compelling evidence exists to deviate from the minimum sentence. However, the sentence imposed must send a message to other young people and criminals,” he said.
He said the sentence started on September 2...