A 47-year-old man has been sentenced to 20 years’ direct imprisonment by the Pretoria North magistrate’s court for sexually assaulting two men at a shelter in Akasia.
Neil Klein, from Cape Town, received 15 years’ imprisonment for the rape of a 32-year-old man and five years for attempting to sexually assault a 43-year-old man. The court also declared him unfit to possess a firearm.
Lumka Mahanjana, National Prosecuting Authority spokesperson, said the incidents occurred in 2023 while Klein and the victims were staying at the shelter.
“On July 9 2023, the 43-year-old victim went to the shelter’s bathroom, where he encountered Klein, who allegedly threatened him, locked the door and undressed himself. The incident was interrupted when someone knocked on the door,” said Mahanjana.
Four months later, on November 5, a 32-year-old man also encountered Klein in the bathroom. Klein threatened him, instructed him to undress and raped him. According to Mahanjana, the victim reported the incident to a woman who cooks at the shelter, and the matter was reported to police the same day. Klein was arrested the next day.
During the trial Klein pleaded not guilty, claiming the 43-year-old victim had falsely accused him because he owed him money. However, state prosecutor advocate Given Twala presented testimony from both victims that proved Klein’s guilt beyond reasonable doubt.
During sentencing the defence asked the court to impose a lesser sentence, citing Klein’s difficult upbringing, limited education due to epilepsy, and that he had previously lived on the streets. The court, however, agreed with the state that Klein had targeted vulnerable men staying at the shelter and showed no remorse.
The magistrate ruled that there were no substantial reasons to deviate from the prescribed minimum sentence and imposed a total of 20 years’ imprisonment.
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