Times Of Swaziland: RAPIST JAILED 53YRS

RAPIST JAILED 53YRS
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BY MBONGISENI NDZIMANDZE AND SITHEMBILE HLATSHWAYO on 10/08/2018 03:54:00


MBABANE – He will rot in jail. A 27-year-old man who raped two women in a
space of two days has been sentenced to 53 years imprisonment.
Bhekani Mlotshwa of Khiza under Chief Nyakeni, was sentenced by Judge Titus
Mlangeni yesterday. This was after he found him guilty of raping the two women
who were in their late 20s. Both incidents occurred at Mathendele Location in
Nhlangano.
Mlotshwa raped one of the women three times within a period of three hours and
further proceeded to forcefully have sexual intercourse with the other.
He also used a gun to induce fear upon the survivors.
In his judgment, Judge Mlangeni noted that Mlotshwa used a firearm to induce
fear upon the complainants and he did not use a condom. He committed one of the
offences on February 26, 2010 and the other on February 28, 2010.
The judge further observed that one of the women was raped three times within a
period of three hours.
“This cruelty is phenomenal and it demonstrates not only a sense of pride in
this sordid act, but also the absence of remorse,” said Judge Mlangeni.He also
noted that between the cruel acts, Mlotshwa would rest, have a smoke and chat
with one of the women as if nothing wrong was happening.
It was also the court’s observation that in absolute despair, one of the
survivors befriended Mlotshwa with the hope that he would stop the ordeal such
that they referred to each other as ‘mkhaya’, a colloquial reference between
people of the same area.
Judge Mlangeni said he was unable to find words that adequately captured the
scenario in which this poor lady was trapped.
“In common law system throughout the world, it is recognised that rape is one
of the most heinous, barbaric and dehumanising crimes whose effect upon the
survivor cannot be adequately described in words,” added the judge.