Johannesburg - A Limpopo man was sentenced to life imprisonment for rape, robbery and house breaking in the Mahwelereng Regional Court on Thursday.
Malose Lucky Mathiane, 29, from Ga-Madiba village, raped a 72-year-old woman in the Mahwelereng in January 2019.
Police said Mathiane, who was wearing a balaclava during the alleged incident, raped the elderly woman at about 4am on January 27, 2019.
Limpopo police spokesperson Colonel Moatshe Ngoepe said Mathiane broke into the house, armed with a knife, and raped the woman.
Mathiane was sentenced to life imprisonment for house breaking with intent to rape and rape, plus 15 years for robbery with aggravating circumstances.
“These sentences follows an incident that occurred in the early hours of the 27th January 2019 at about 04:00 when a 72-year-old woman was attacked and raped by an intruder in her house at one of the villages in the Mahwelereng area.
“The accused, who was wearing a balaclava and gloves, broke into the house, threatened the victim with a knife and raped her. The vulnerable woman managed to fight back, injuring the perpetrator on the finger. The accused then fled the scene with the victim's cellphone,” said Ngoepe.
He said the victim was helped by a neighbour and they immediately contacted the police, who handed over the case to the Mahwelereng Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences (FCS) Unit for further investigations.
“The accused was arrested after he was positively linked following a lengthy investigation and outstanding work by Detective Sergeant Lesetja Langa.
“The accused was kept in custody with no bail until he ultimately got sentenced,” said Ngoepe.
Limpopo provincial commissioner Lieutenant General Nneke Ledwaba, praised Langa for his dedication and hard work to secure the conviction.
“These sentences will serve as a deterrent to all those who continue to take advantage of innocent women, children and vulnerable groups,” said Ledwaba.
IOL