DURBAN – A 24-year-old man who raped a woman almost twice his age, and then denied it has been jailed for life.
Siyabonga Mabaso was convicted this week in the Greytown Regional Court for the rape of a 40-year-old woman. The incident took place in March 2020 at a hostel in Greytown.
According to Natasha Kara, spokesperson for the National Prosecuting Authority, Mabaso and the woman knew each other as they lived with their families at the hostel.
“On the day of the incident, the woman was walking toward her home, when she was approached by Mabaso. He asked her to go with him to his house, and when she refused, he punched her in the face and she fell,” said Kara.
“He then dragged her to a nearby plantation where he assaulted her further and raped her. Her screams alerted passers-by, causing him to flee.”
Kara said she knew Mabaso, so she was able to name him as the perpetrator.
“The next day Mabaso handed himself over to the police, saying that the sexual intercourse was consensual.”
The NPA said the victim was an impressive witness and together with the medical report which showed she had sustained grievous physical injuries, the State was successfully able to thwart the defence’s version.
The victim told the court that the incident left her fearful and ashamed.
IOL