Rape victim left for dead lives to nail her attacker and see him jailed for life

A Free State man has been handed a life sentence for raping and kidnapping a woman he left for dead.

The high court in Bloemfontein sentenced Mpho Majoba, 29, this week. Majoba slit his victim’s throat and left her in the bushes in Rosendal in March, believing  she was dead. But she crawled out and sought help. She was able to identify him.

“During trial it was revealed that on March 29 Majoba kidnapped and slit the throat of the victim before he raped her and robbed her of her two cellphones,” said provincial police spokesperson Brig Motantsi Makhele.

“She managed to crawl to the road where she was assisted by a farmer who called an ambulance and the matter was reported to the police. Because she was struggling to speak, she managed to write on the piece of paper and gave a description of the suspect. This led to the arrest of Majoba on the same day.”

The court sentenced Majoba to 10 years in jail for attempted murder on Thursday. It also handed him two life sentences for rape, three years for kidnapping and 15 years for robbery. The sentences will run concurrently.

Provincial police commissioner Lt-Gen Baile Motswenyane welcomed the sentence.

“The sentencing came at the right time for gender-based violence perpetrators and will send a strong and clear message to want-to-be criminals that crime against women and children doesn't pay as justice will always prevail”, said Motswenyane.

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