Durban - An Empangeni sangoma, who raped a woman and then slit her throat, will spend a long time behind bars for his crimes.
Pietermaritzburg High Court judge Judge Nompumelelo Radebe sentenced Lindokuhle Mzimela to a double life term for the murder of Philile Nzuza.
Nzuzu a 38-year-old mother of five, had been walking home when she was attacked by Mzimela and his friend, Khetha Prince Zulu, 19.
Zulu was jailed for 25 years. He told the court that he did not play a part in Nzuzu’s murder; he had wanted only to rape her.
On the day of the killing, both men said they had been drinking at a tavern and, on their way to another tavern, saw Nzuza walking with a man.
They said that at first, their intention was to rob her of her cellphone but she did not have one.
At knifepoint, the men forced her to got with them to an isolated area where they took turns raping her.
Mzimela decided to slit her throat for fear she would recognise and report them.
Zulu told the court that the victim begged them to let her go after they raped her.
He said he tried to reason with Mzimela but he refused to listen.
The duo were arrested a few days after the murder. They pleaded guilty to their crimes.
In addition to life, Mzimela also received five years for kidnapping.
Deputy Director of Public Prosecutions Mbongeni Mthembu argued that the court impose the maximum sentence as the scourge of gender-based violence was at a pandemic level.
IOL