By Kaya 959 Reporter
A Limpopo court has sentenced two friends who raped an 18-year-old girl in 2017 to life imprisonment.
The court also sentenced Murendeni Silinga and Omphulusa Ramakuela to five years for kidnapping and three for robbery.
The NPA says the sentence for kidnapping and robbery will run concurrently with the life imprisonment sentence.
NPA spokesperson in Limpopo, Mashudu Malabi-Dzhangi, says Ramakuela met the teen in September 2017.
Ramakuela approached the teen while she was on her way to prepare for her matric trial exams. She was with her boyfriend. Ramakuela told her boyfriend that he was not allowed to date women from the other side of the township.
Malabi-Dzhangi says Ramakuela dragged the victim to the nearby bushes where he raped her. He then called Silinga and they took the girl to Silinga’s homestead.
“Ramakuela robbed the girl of R7 and when he returned, he and Silinga continued to take turns raping the victim. In the morning, she begged to go home. They did not want her to tell anyone about the rape and murdered her,” says Malabi-Dzhangi.
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Sentence welcomed
During the trial, Ramakuela told the court that he and the teen were in a relationship. Silinga claimed that he was forced to rape the girl.
“The court rejected both versions of the accused. The court found that the state has proven its case beyond reasonable doubt and convicted both accused,” says Dzhangi.
In aggravation of a harsher sentence, Public Prosecutor Steven Muavha argued that hardcore criminals who attack the vulnerable in society should be removed from the community.
He further urged the court to consider the trauma suffered by the victim looking at the accused’s inhumane actions.
Muavha also pleaded with the court not to deviate from the prescribed minimum sentence.
Director of Public Prosecutions, Advocate Ivy Thenga, welcomed the sentence and applauded the state prosecutor for a successful prosecution and for bringing justice to the victim.
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