A convicted rapist who used an axe to threaten and assault a woman before raping her twice has lost his appeal against a life sentence in the Pretoria High Court.
Ventura Jaema Langa, who was sentenced to life imprisonment by the Regional Court in Springs in June 2023, appealed against the severity of his sentence. However, the Pretoria High Court recently dismissed his appeal, upholding the life sentence for rape and a 15-year sentence for robbery with aggravating circumstances.
The attack took place in July 2022 when Langa lured the complainant to a remote area in Springs, under the pretence of offering her a job.
Armed with an axe, he forced the victim into a veld, where he brutally raped her twice and stole her two cellphones.
After the assault, the victim courageously sought help, leading to Langa’s eventual arrest through a sting operation orchestrated by her sister.
In her ruling, acting Judge Waheeda Amien made it clear that Langa’s crime warranted the most severe punishment under the law. She described rape as “one of the vilest and most monstrous of crimes”, noting its devastating and long-lasting effects on the victim.
“Rape violates not only the victim’s physical integrity but also their emotional and psychological well-being, and can cause life-long trauma,” Amien said.
Judge Amien further highlighted the prevalence of rape in Gauteng, which accounts for 20.4% of the national total, underscoring the urgency for harsher penalties.
“It is not surprising that the legislature sought fit to respond to the malicious evil that is rape, particularly multiple rapes, through the imposition of a minimum prescribed sentence of life imprisonment,” she added.
The judge also noted that Langa’s actions suggested he may have committed similar crimes before.
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