A brutal rape of a teenager has landed a North West man in jail with a life sentence.
Lucky Tshepang Mothowatlhaga, 25, received his punishment in the Atamelang regional court for raping a 19-year-old teen.
The sexual attack took place on the night of December 6,2020. The victim and her two cousins had just arrived at their Ottosdal home from a tavern. While the girls were busy knocking on the doors of the house to be let in, Mothowatlhaga accosted the teen and dragged her towards his residence.
With no one at home answering their knocks, the two other girls ran to the neighbour’s house for help. Mothowatlhaga however continued with his sexual attack mission.
“Upon arrival at his residence, [Mothowatlhaga] threatened the complainant with a knife before repeatedly raping her,” National Prosecuting Authority’s spokesperson Henry Mamothame explained. “He only let her leave the following morning,” he said.
Mamothame said after the then accused was arrested and granted bail, he failed to appear before the court again.
“He was rearrested and his bail revoked. He pleaded not guilty to the charge.”
Advocate Edward Manicus for the state urged the court not to deviate from the prescribed minimum sentence as there were no compelling circumstances to do so.
Court cites trauma experienced by victim
Magistrate Stefanus Du Toit agreed with the state’s argument for the life sentence to be given to Mothowathlaga, putting emphasis on the traumatic experience the victim went through.
The court further declared him unfit to possess a firearm. His name was ordered to be added in the register of sexual offenders.
The Director of Public Prosecutions in the North West, Rachel Makhari, lauded the prosecutor Detective Mmolawa and other role players in the case for a collaboration that yielded a successful conviction.
In June, the North West legislature received with horror the police statistics about sexual crimes and violence against women and children.
“The gender-based violence and femicide is happening at an unprecedented rate and herein Committee wishes to encourage men to desist from pursuing crimes against women and children,” Mmoloki Cwaile, chairperson of the legislature’s portfolio committee on community Safety, said.
