Courts & Legal
Sterkspruit court sentences Lesotho national to 25 years for teen rape
A quiet trip to the local shop turned into a nightmare for a 14-year-old girl in Sterkspruit. This week, the Sterkspruit Regional Court handed down a sentence that many in the Eastern Cape community hope brings some measure of justice.
Retsidisitsoe Makhabane, a 25-year-old undocumented Lesotho national, has been sentenced to 25 years in prison for rape. The court heard that the attack took place on 10 September 2023 in Tienbak Locality.
What happened in Tienbak
According to evidence presented during the trial, the teenager had been sent to a nearby shop when she was approached by Makhabane. He questioned her and tried to convince her to go with him to another location.
When she refused to go with him, the attack turned violent. The court heard that he grabbed and strangled her to silence her cries, then took her by force to a nearby shack. Once inside, he pinned her against the door, removed her clothing, and raped her.
Despite trying to fight back, including biting him on the neck, she was overpowered.
Her escape came when the accused fell asleep. As she walked home, two women noticed her crying. After hearing what had happened, they went back with her to the shack, but he had already fled. The matter was reported to the police, and he was arrested at his home the following day.
Court rejects accused’s defence
Makhabane pleaded not guilty. During the trial, State Prosecutor Anele Magibile led evidence from the victim, a first report witness, and a J88 medical report that supported her account.
The accused called a witness in his defence, but the witness did not back his version of events. The court found the State’s case credible and reliable, rejected the accused’s version as improbable, and found him guilty.
In addition to the 25-year prison term, the court declared him unfit to possess a firearm. His details will be entered into the National Register for Sex Offenders, and he is barred from working with children.
As a Lesotho national, he will also be deported to Lesotho after completing his sentence.
A broader fight against gender-based violence
Eastern Cape Director of Public Prosecutions Barry Madolo commended the prosecution and investigation teams for securing the conviction. The National Prosecuting Authority has reiterated its commitment to prosecuting gender-based violence cases and supporting survivors through the criminal justice process.
The case has once again highlighted the ongoing crisis of gender-based violence in South Africa. Across social media, many South Africans continue to express frustration at the scale of these crimes, while also welcoming lengthy sentences as a sign that the courts are taking such offences seriously.
For communities like Sterkspruit, justice in court is only one step. The deeper challenge remains creating safer spaces for young girls and ensuring that when crimes do happen, survivors are heard, protected, and supported from start to finish.
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Source: The Citizen
Featured Image: Treatment Advocacy Center
