Prison cell. Photo: Adobe Stock
Man handed life sentence for rape, kidnapping of girlfriend
The North West man is said to have repeatedly abused his former girlfriend between 2017 and 2018 – in one incident, he allegedly tried to hang her
Prison cell. Photo: Adobe Stock
A 33-year-old man’s nearly year-long reign of terror on his girlfriend has finally caught up with him and is now likely to spend the rest of his life behind bars.
Mpho Mkhibane Nkwe has been sentenced to life in prison after being convicted of kidnapping, rape and the contravention of a protection order in the Madikwe Regional Court in North West on Friday, 30 October 2020.
“Consequent to good investigative work by the Madikwe Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual offences Unit (FCS) Nkwe was also declared unfit to possess a firearm in terms of Section 103 of the Firearms Control Act, 2000 (Act No. 60 of 2000),” said the South African Police Service (SAPS) in North West spokesperson Captain Aafje Botma.
During Nkwe’s trial, the court heard how he countlessly abused his girlfriend at the time, including kidnapping, assaulting and raping her on several occasions from 2017 to 2018. She subsequently took out a restraining order against him, however that did very little to deter him from attacking her again.
“He ultimately kidnapped her and took her to a mountain where he hanged her and raped her. She sustained injuries on her face, neck and head caused by a knife and broken bottle and a bruised leg,”
SAPS in North West spokesperson Captain Aafje Botma
Nkwe was then arrested by police in May 2018.
Man handed life sentenced for raping minor
At the same time, another man was also sentenced to life for rape. The man, 57-year-old Jacob Shimane Mokgatle was convicted for raping a 12-year-old girl, after the victim’s mother caught him in the act.
“On Tuesday, 5 February 2019, the complainant, who is the mother to the victim, came home looking for her 12-year-old daughter, but she couldn’t find her. She then went to the next door neighbour, accompanied by a friend. When they entered the house, they found the accused busy raping her 12-year-old daughter. The incident was immediately reported to the police, who arrested the suspect,” the SAPS further said.
The Provincial Commissioner of North West, Lieutenant General Sello Kwena, welcomed the heavy sentences handed down on both the men.
