The Itsoseng regional court in North West on Monday sentenced Amogelang Masondo to life imprisonment for raping his ex-girlfriend.
The court handed down an additional five years for kidnapping and he was declared unfit to possess a firearm.
National Prosecuting Authority spokesperson Henry Mamothame said the incident occurred on the night of June 25 2021 in Bodibe village, near Itsoseng.
Mamothame said the accused saw the victim walking with another man. He then threatened her before forcibly taking her to his friend’s place, where he repeatedly raped her overnight.
“He then let her go, subsequently leading her to report the matter to the police. He was arrested on June 28 2021, and the court denied him bail. He pleaded not guilty to the charges,” said Mamothame.
State prosecutor advocate Molefe Moyawa argued that the accused cannot be rehabilitated, as he is most likely to reoffend. He had been previously convicted of rape when he was 17 years of age.
Moyawa said: “He was also found to have been previously convicted of culpable homicide. The accused violated the complainant’s right to dignity and right to freedom of movement.
Magistrate Ndade Maphango agreed with the state and remarked that the accused committed a violent offence against the mother of his child, and he showed no remorse for his action.
Director of public prosecutions in North West Rachel Makhari lauded the prosecutor, the South African Police Service and other role players who contributed to the conviction.
Makhari further made a desperate plead for advocacy against the violation of women, children and the elderly.
In a separate incident, a case against legal practitioner Sbonakaliso Mpisi – who is accused of killing his girlfriend Mahlako Malebo Rabalao – was postponed to October 23 for further investigations.
A DNA report is still outstanding and the director of public prosecutions is yet to make a decision on where the matter will be heard.
A family representative of the late Rabalao said that they will wait for justice to take its course.
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