DURBAN – A 36-year-old traditional healer from Greytown, outside Pietermaritzburg, was sentenced to life imprisonment after he was convicted of rape.
The traditional healer, Nhlanhla Mabaso was sentenced on Monday in the Greytown Regional Court.
It is alleged that on January 11 last year, a 36-year-old woman travelled from Kranskop to consult with a traditional healer in Greytown.
The victim met with the traditional healer, Mabaso, outside a local supermarket in Sargeant Street in Greytown.
Mabaso informed her that the medication she needed was at his home, and they should proceed to Lindelani informal settlement in Greytown.
“The victim trusted the traditional healer and followed him.
“On arrival at his residence, the traditional healer became aggressive and locked the victim in the house before he raped her,” said KwaZulu-Natal provincial police spokesperson, Colonel Thembeka Mbele.
Mbele said Mabaso threatened to harm the victim if she made any noise.
She said that fearing for her life, the victim did as instructed.
“The accused repeatedly raped her until the following day when he released her and accompanied her to the taxi rank.”
Instead of taking the taxi back to Kranskop, said Mbele, the victim went to the Greytown police station and reported the incident.
Mbele said Mabaso was arrested two days after the incident on Durban Street in Greytown while he was selling traditional medicine.
She said the docket was transferred to Greytown Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences Unit for further investigation.
“The accused made several court appearances until he was convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment,” she said.
THE MERCURY