35-year-old sentenced to 18 years imprisonment for 18-year-old’s rape

The Taung Regional Court sentenced Matlhomola Mokwatsi (35) to 18 years imprisonment for rape.

According to police reports, Mokwatsi, threatened, with a spade; strangled and raped an 18-year-old lady twice on 04 March 2018 at Molemela Village, near Taung.

Apparently, on the day of the incident, the young lady was on her way back home from a friend’s house to print a CV. She then met Mokwatsi who offered to help her at his place.

After the horrendous act, the victim requested water from Mokwatsi and managed to escape while he attended to her request.

Police arrested the accused the following day, on 05 March 2018. The trial however, was delayed by the accused’s first attorney’s withdrawal and a subsequent appointment of the Legal Aid attorney.

The state submitted the medical report confirming injuries sustained by the victim during her ordeal. In response, the defense submitted that he and the complainant were lovers and the sex was consensual, but the court dismissed it.

Furthermore, the victim indicated that she grew up around the perpetrator and considered him to be her elder.

Advocate Sandile Mbokazi urged the court to consider GBV and Femicide that is on the rise and not to deviate from the prescribed minimum sentence.

Magistrate Buti Zulu however, sentenced Mokwatsi to 18 years but agreed with the state on the need to strengthen the advocacy on Gender-Based Violence and Femicide.

The North West Acting Director of Public Prosecutions, Dr Rachel Makhari-Sekhaolelo lauded the state prosecutor and the police to put the perpetrator behind bars.