North West man sentenced to life for rape

09 June 2022 - 18:08
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The man lured his victim with a job offer. Stock photo.
The man lured his victim with a job offer. Stock photo.
Image: 123RF/scanrail

The Potchefstroom regional court on Thursday sentenced a man to life imprisonment for raping a 39-year-old woman whom he claimed to have found a job for.

Papi Seun Ntandeni, 36, pleaded guilty.

“Police reports revealed that on December 8 2020, Ntandeni went to the home of the complainant and lured her to leave the house with him under the pretence of having found a job for her at a local butchery,” said National Prosecuting Authority spokesperson Henry Mamothame.

The woman agreed to go with Ntandeni as he was known to her.

“On the way he dragged her to the side of a rural road and repeatedly raped her before fleeing the scene.”

The woman opened a case of rape with the police and Ntandeni was arrested in the same month.

In aggravation of sentence, prosecutor Hester Pretorius urged the court not to deviate from the minimum prescribed sentence, considering the seriousness of the offence.

“She urged the court to consider the interest of society amid a high prevalence of offences of this nature.

“Magistrate Louisa Mabille agreed with the state and pointed out the high level of rape cases that the criminal justice system has to deal with,” Mamothame said.

North West director of public prosecutions Rachel Makhari-Sekhaolelo praised Pretorius and Const Onalenna Letebele for their collaboration that secured a successful conviction.

“It is unacceptable for women to be violated by people who should be protecting them. We welcome this conviction and hope it serves as a deterrent to wannabe offenders,” she said.

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