A Northern Cape man was sentenced to 12 years in jail for raping an 18-year-old girl who was walking home from church with another female friend.
The Kuruman Regional Court convicted and sentenced the accused, Thabang Tshabadira, 30, to 12 years of direct imprisonment for raping an 18-year-old girl.
On October 28, 2018, at approximately 11am, an 18-year-old victim was walking home from church with a female friend, the South African Police Service (SAPS) said. An unknown man suddenly appeared from behind a tree, his face covered with a T-shirt.
“Tshabadira cut a branch from the tree and threatened the victim and her friend with it. The accused hit the victim's friend with the stick and instructed her to run away,” police spokesperson Sergeant Molefi Shemane said.
“He then held the victim by her arm and went with her into the bushes, where the accused removed the T-shirt that was covering his face. He instructed the victim to lay on it and remove her clothes,” Shemane said.
Shemane added that out of fear, the victim did as she was told. The accused then raped the victim. Tshabadira then demanded money from the victim, grabbed the victim's church bag, and robbed her of R200.
‘When three of the victim's male friends approached the victim and the accused, the accused started to run away. The victim's three male friends chased after Tshabadira, and caught him.
“Police were called, and the victim opened a case.
“On Wednesday, October 4, 2023, the Kuruman Regional Court convicted and sentenced Tshabadira to 12 years of direct imprisonment,” Shemane said.
Shemane added that Tshabadira was declared unfit to possess a firearm and unfit to work with children, and his name was entered in the National Register of Sex Offenders.
Meanwhile, the Provincial Commissioner of the Northern Cape, Lieutenant General Koliswa Otola, commended the investigating officer, Constable Michelle Badukane, for the exceptional manner in which the case was investigated, resulting in the accused being found guilty.
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