Cape Town - A 29-year-old rapist has been sentenced in the Madadeni Regional Court to life imprisonment for rape.
Thobani Madida was also convicted on charges of kidnapping and assault with the intent to cause grievous bodily harm (GBH).
Evidence before the court revealed the victim, 23, was with two others drinking at a local tavern in 2018 when Madida came and just started drinking from their alcohol without permission.
The owner of the tavern, whose girlfriend was sitting with the victim, came and stopped Madida and requested that he not disturb patrons.
Madida then produced a knife and stabbed the owner in the upper arm.
The court heard the owner tried getting a garden fork to retaliate, but could not do so due to his injuries.
The victim further testified in court that she was forcibly made to leave with Madida who had a knife and took her to a nearby forest, and demanded she take off her clothes before he raped her.
They later went to a nearby house where she was raped repeatedly.
The investigating officer told the court Madida’s family had tried to mediate with the victim and tried to pay her off.
She further testified she tracked and traced Madida down by another matter he had on the court’s roll.
The victim impact statement handed over to the court noted the woman had, due to the crime, suffered emotional stress and was unable to sleep at night. She was diagnosed with depression which she is being treated for.
She also suffered from headaches when thinking of the incident and had a fear of men and walking alone at night.
The statement further told the court the woman was left ashamed as she felt people on the street had attached the stigma of the incident to her.
State prosecutor, Bonginkosi Motha argued that Madida showed a lack of respect for the victim’s physical integrity, freedom of movement, and human dignity.
“Rape is a crime of inherent violence which causes harm to its victims, regardless of any additional physical injury that the victim may sustain. It was further argued that the crime of rape and the nature of such a crime goes beyond physical penetration.
“It was requested that the court be alive to the interests of society and that it had a duty to protect members of society not to live in constant fear of violence whether against their person or property,” Motha submitted.
The court sentenced Madida to life imprisonment for rape, five years imprisonment for kidnapping, and three years imprisonment for assault GBH.