NPA: North West man sentenced to life for rape

Papi Seun Ntandeni was sentenced to life imprisonment for the rape of a 39-year-old woman after luring her to leave her house for a fake job.

The Potchefstroom Regional Court sentenced the 36-year-old man on Thursday after he pleaded guilty to the offence.

THE VICTIM KNEW HER RAPIST VERY WELL 

According to the National Prosecuting Authority, North West region spokesperson, Henry Mamothame, police reports revealed that on 8 December 2020, Ntandeni went to the home of the complainant. 

He then lured her to leave the house with him, under the pretence of having found a job for her at a local butchery. The complainant agreed to the proposition, as Ntandeni was well known to her.

“On their way, he dragged her to the side of a rural road and repeatedly raped her, before fleeing the scene. 

“After this act, she went to open a case of rape with the police, and Ntandeni was arrested in December 2020,”

said Mamothame.

He added that the complaint managed to point Ntandeni out to the police, as the person who raped her following his arrest.

LIFE IMPRISONMENT FOR RAPIST

Meanwhile, in aggravation of sentence, Advocate Hester Pretorius urged the court not to deviate from the minimum prescribed sentence, considering the seriousness of the offence. 

She further urged the court to consider the interest of society, amid a high prevalence of offences of this nature. 

Magistrate Louisa Mabille agreed with the state and pointed out the high level of rape cases that the criminal justice system has to deal with.

Furthermore, the Director of Public Prosecutions in the North West lauded Hester and Constable Onalenna Letebele from the SAPS for their collaboration that secured a successful conviction. 

“It is unacceptable for women to be violated by people who should be protecting them. We welcome this conviction and hope it serves as a deterrent to wannabe offenders”,

she concluded.

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