South Africa: KZN man sentenced to life for raping 73-year-old woman

A 30-year-old KwaZulu-Natal man, Sibusiso Gift Zwane, has been sentenced to life imprisonment by the Madadeni regional court for the 2017 rape of a woman in Osizweni.

National Prosecuting Authority spokesperson for KwaZulu-Natal Natasha Ramkisson-Kara said Zwane was sentenced to a further two years’ imprisonment for housebreaking with intent to commit an offence unknown to the state.

“On the evening of the incident the complainant, who was 73 years old at the time, was in her house when Zwane broke in. The complainant asked Zwane what he was doing there but he did not respond and proceeded to rape her,” Ramkisson-Kara said.

“At some point she managed to escape and called her daughter. The complainant and her daughter saw Zwane leaving the complainant’s house.”

The 73-year-old victim was taken to the police station where a case was registered.

“She was then taken to the Madadeni Thuthuzela Care Centre for medical and psychosocial assistance.”

In court, prosecutor Cindy Alberts led the testimony of the complainant and her daughter, as well as medical evidence relating to the rape charge.

“Zwane, through his legal representative, attempted to cast doubt on the complainant’s testimony by saying that her eyesight must be poor due to her age. However, the complainant was able to give details of a scar that looked like a burn mark behind Zwane’s ear. She had seen this mark up close when he had raped her.”

The court ordered that his name be entered into the National Register for Sex Offenders, and he was declared unfit to possess a firearm.

“The NPA welcomes this successful prosecution. It is our mandate to prosecute on behalf of the victims of crime,” Ramkisson-Kara said.

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