Durban – A 25-year-old man KZN man who repeatedly raped a woman he had kidnapped while she was returning home from work, has been jailed for life.
Lindokuhle Lindo Mlangeni, from Ndedwe on the KZN North Coast, was sentenced to life in the Verulam Regional Court for the rape.
He received five years for the kidnapping charge.
According to NPA’s Natasha Kara, in January 2019, Mlangeni kidnapped and raped a 19-year-old woman on her way to the taxi rank after work.
“Mlangeni had earlier approached her and proposed that they have a relationship. She declined his advances and walked away.
“However, he followed her, pulled her into a nearby bush and strangled her until she lost consciousness.
“She woke up naked. Still naked, he pulled her by her hair towards his house. He stopped halfway through and gave her his underpants to wear. At his home, Mlangeni raped her throughout the night and kept her locked in the house until the following afternoon.”
The victim went home dressed in his underpants and his T-shirt.
She reported the incident to her mother and visited the doctor the following day. A month later, she reported the case to the police.
She was able to recognise Mlangeni as she had seen him at the taxi rank a few times. She pointed out his house to the police and he was arrested.
During court proceedings, Mlangeni denied kidnapping the woman, but maintained the sexual encounter was consensual.
The court found the victim to be a credible and reliable witness in spite of Mlangeni’s denial.
In a victim impact statement, she said she decided to quit her job “as I fear being raped again if I go out”.
She told the court suicide had crossed her mind.
“This case has cost me my reputation and the dignity of my family.”
IOL