The Groblersdal Regional Court in Limpopo has sentenced a 35-year-old rapist 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 provincial police spokesperson, Colonel Malesela Ledwaba.
Police were alerted about the incident, they opened cases of rape and assault with intent to cause grievous bodily harm.
The nonagenarian victim was taken to a local hospital for medical treatment.
“The rape case was transferred to Mokopane family violence, child protection and sexual offences unit and assigned to Sergeant Lesetja Langa for further investigation,” said Ledwaba.
At the time, Madiba was traced by police and arrested as a suspect to the heinous crime.
“Police also recovered the panga with blood stains, which was used to assault the victim,” said Ledwaba.
This week, the Groblersdal Regional Court 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.
Meanwhile, 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, IOL 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.
At the time, 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.
IOL