A Lesotho national who worked as a livestock herd in Quthing Mangolwaneng, a rural area in the district of Mount Fletcher in the Eastern Cape, has been found guilty of rape.
Katleho Mpakanyane was found guilty and sentenced to life behind bars by the Mount Fletcher regional court on Monday.
The 20-year-old Katleho Mpakanyane was further given 15 years for attempted murder and five years for robbery with aggravating circumstances.
This after he reportedly followed the victim from a local tavern at night and attacked her with a sharp objected.
The incident is believed to have taken place in May 2023.
Police investigations led to Mpakanyane who subsequently pleaded guilty to all three charges.
The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) said Mpakanyane revealed that the victim was walking home and when she arrived at her homestead she remembered that her house keys were at her neighbour’s house.
Before she could get to the neighbour’s house, she felt something holding her from the back and a sharp object was placed on her neck.
“Mpakanyane started stabbing the victim in the back, pushing her and she fell on her stomach,” said NPA spokersperson Luxolo Tyali.
“He turned her to face up, as he continued stabbing her in the face and neck. He then raped her while placing a knife on her neck, after which he searched her and found a cellphone that he took before fleeing the scene,” Tyali added.
Prosecutor Zonke Maranjana informed the court that there are no substantial and compelling circumstances justifying deviation from a prescribed minimum sentence.
Maranjana pleaded with the court to impose life imprisonment for rape.
Eastern Cape Director of Public Prosecutions, Barry Madolo, welcomed the sentence and commended the prosecutor and the investigating officer for securing the conviction and sentence
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