Durban - A 46-year-old man who cut his live-in partner’s genitals with a pair of scissors and then raped her while she bled profusely has been convicted.
The man, who cannot be named in order to protect the identity of the victim, 44, was convicted in the Kuruman Regional Court this week and sentenced to 20 years behind bars.
The National Prosecuting Authority said the incident took place at the couple’s joint household near Bankhara Bodulong in Kuruman.
“On the evening of the commissioning of the crime, the accused had arrived at their household and demanded that the victim cook him food,” said NPA spokesperson Mojalefa Senokoatsane.
“He left their residence to visit his friend and they consumed alcohol, and upon his return to the household, the accused allegedly ate the food and thereafter, assaulted the complainant, alleging that the victim had taken too long to prepare the food.
“It is alleged that while assaulting the victim, the accused instructed her to collect some scissors and used the scissor to cut the victim's private parts.
“The complainant alleges that the wound bled profusely, and the accused proceeded to rape the complainant.
“According to the complainant, she cried during the rape and begged the accused to stop raping her as she was in severe pain.”
Senokoatsane said the the matter was reported to the police. The accused was arrested and remanded in custody because the prosecution had successfully opposed his bail application.
During the trial, Regional Court prosecutor Benise Bronkhorst argued that the court should sentence the accused to life imprisonment, describing the incident as heinous.
“The accused did not only rape his victim but he also violated her by inflicting grievous bodily harm,” Bronkhorst said.
Magistrate Lulamile Mdoda said life imprisonment should be reserved for offenders who would have been sentenced to the death penalty if it were still in existence.
He deviated from life imprisonment because the accused was a first-time offender and had spent time in custody.
IOL