PIETERMARITZBURG - THE PIETERMARITZBURG Regional Court has convicted and sentenced Mzwandile Gwala to 16 years imprisonment for raping a 10-year-old victim. Gwala ,23, was convicted on 28 January 2018 after the magistrate heard how he raped the victim last year in the Peace Valley area.
In another incident unrelated rape case, the court convicted Sthabiso Shezi, 27. He was sentenced to 16 years for rape and theft by the Pietermaritzburg Regional Court. He raped a 30-year-old woman at knifepoint in the Bulwer area in 2014. The victim's cellphone was taken away by the accused during the rape.
In Gwala's matter, the victim's statement obtained by the police on December 24 last year showed that the victim had been walking in the Peace Valley area on her way to a nearby shop when she was approached by Gwala. She said he dragged her to a nearby railway line where she was raped.
She reported the matter to her mother at home and later a case of rape was opened at Taylors Halt police station.
The KwaZulu-Natal Acting Provincial Commissioner, Major General Bheki Langa said the convictions should serve as an example to the people who abuse women and children sexually.
“Our Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences units will make sure that they thoroughly investigate such cases and arrest the perpetrators. We cannot tolerate culprits to terrorise our vulnerable women and children. I encourage all victims of violent crimes to report such incidents to the police,” he said.