A 35-year-old man has been sentenced to life imprisonment after he was convicted of raping and assaulting a 90-year-old woman in her home in Limpopo.
THE GROBLERSDAL Regional Court in Limpopo sentenced a 35-year-old man to life imprisonment after he was convicted of raping and assaulting a 90-year-old woman.
The court heard that on July 31, 2022, Ephraim Matshela Madiba broke into the house of the elderly woman at Elandskraal and found a panga in the victim’s bedroom.
“He assaulted her with it before raping her. He thereafter fled the scene with the said panga,” said Limpopo police spokesperson Colonel Malesela Ledwaba.
The police were alerted about the incident and cases of rape and assault with intent to cause grievous bodily harm were opened.
The victim was taken to a local hospital for medical treatment.
“The rape case was transferred to the Mokopane SAPS Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences unit and assigned to Sergeant Lesetja Langa for further investigation,” said Ledwaba.
Madiba was traced by the police and arrested as a suspect in the heinous crime.
“The police also recovered the panga, with blood stains, which was used to assault the victim,” said Ledwaba.
The Groblersdal Regional Court this week sentenced Madiba to life imprisonment for the rape and an additional 24 months in jail for the assault with intent to cause grievous bodily harm.
The sentences will be served concurrently.
Limpopo police commissioner Lieutenant-General Thembi Hadebe, in welcoming the lengthy sentence imposed on Madiba, has saluted the investigating officer and his team.
“We welcome the life sentence and we are glad that justice was finally served,” said Hadebe.
In December, it was reported that an 84-year-old Limpopo woman was raped by an unknown perpetrator who broke into her home and fell asleep after violating the octogenarian.
Brigadier Hlulani Mashaba said the incident took place in Mookgopong.
“Reports indicate that the 84-year-old victim was asleep when the intruder gained access into her house through a window and raped her. The suspect allegedly fell asleep afterwards and the victim managed to escape and seek help from the neighbours,” said Mashaba.
The neighbours, according to police, promptly responded, but the perpetrator managed to flee from the scene.
