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Two KwaZulu-Natal men handed life sentences for rape
Sifundo Khumalo and his friend Khethokuhle Dubazane are said to have broken into a woman’s house in the wee hours, before raping her for hours
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Two men in Mahlabathini, KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) have each been sentenced to life behind bars for the rape of an 18-year-old woman.
The accused, 29-year-old Sifundo Khumalo and his 26-year-old friend Khethokuhle Dubazane made an appearance at the Ulundi Regional Court on Tuesday, 15 September 2020. The duo have also been declared unfit to possess a firearm.
The South African Police Service (SAPS) in KZN said the incident occurred on 5 November 2018.
The victim was reportedly asleep at her home in Njomelwane when both Khumalo and Dubazane broke into her house in the wee hours that day. They then attacked her and raped her until the morning.
The woman then decided to report the matter to the SAPS and filed charges of rape at the Mahlabathini police station.
“The docket was transferred to the Ulundi Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences Unit (FCS) for further investigation. The accused were later arrested and made several court appearances until they were successful convicted and sentenced in court,” said SAPS KZN spokesperson Captain Nqobile Gwala.
Man sentenced to 20 years in prison for rape
Meanwhile in another incident which occurred just two months before, a 33-year-old man has been convicted of the rape of a woman in Plessislaer.
“A case of rape case was opened at the Plessislaer SAPS and the docket was transferred to the Plessislaer FCS Unit for investigation,” Gwala also said on the incident.
According to police, in September 2018, the victim, who was 32 years old at the time, was at a local tavern when she asked him to accompany her to her home. When they got to her house, things to a horrific turn after he started attacking her – pushing her to the ground, attempting to strangle her and then later raping her.
The accused, Bosman Dlamini was subsequently arrested for rape and made several court appearances.
The Pietermaritzburg Regional Court found Dlamini guilty of rape and he was sentenced to 20 years behind bars.
The province’s police commissioner Lieutenant General Khombinkosi Jula has welcomed the sentences and said it could serve as a deterrent for other perpetrators of similar crimes.
“We appreciate the heavy sentence handed over to the accused and we hope it will serve as a lesson to others. We pray that this heavy sentence will the help the victims to find closure and healing,”
