DURBAN – A 34-year-old man has been sentenced to life imprisonment for raping his 62-year-old neighbour in the Osizweni area in Newcastle.
The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) said the accused was sentenced last week at the Madadeni Regional Court for the December 2019 rape.
NPA regional spokesperson Natasha Kara said the 62-year-old was asleep in her home when the accused broke in.
“He threatened her with a knife and raped her before leaving the scene,” she said.
The victim reported the matter to the police and DNA samples were taken and the accused was arrested soon after the offence, she said.
Kara said during the trial, the man denied raping the victim, but the DNA analysis linked him to the crime.
Regional Court prosecutor Eddie Mbewu also led the evidence of the first report of the rape made to the victim’s neighbour and the medical doctor’s testimony.
The NPA said the prosecutor also submitted a victim impact statement to the court.
“In the statement, compiled by the victim and facilitated by the court preparation officer, the victim said that she was still haunted by the incident, she is afraid of being alone. She said that she lacks trust in men and feels ashamed,” said Kara.
THE MERCURY