KZN man sentenced to life behind bars for rape of his own mother
A 32-year-old man has been sentenced to life imprisonment for the heinous crime of raping his biological mother, a case that underscores the urgent need to address domestic violence in our society.
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A 32-year-old man has been sentenced to life imprisonment by the Ngwelezane Regional Court after being found guilty of raping and assaulting his biological mother.
According to KwaZulu National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) Regional Spokesperson Natasha Ramkisson-Kara, the offences occurred in the Nseleni area near Empangeni, where both the accused and the complainant lived in the same homestead.
"On the evening of December 1, 2024, the complainant was lying in bed with her minor granddaughter when the accused knocked on her door. Upon opening it, the accused began shouting at her, accusing her of speaking about him to other people," said Ramkisson-Kara.
Despite her denials, he made threatening remarks and proceeded to undress before physically assaulting her by slapping and punching her. He then forced her onto the bed and raped her in the presence of the minor child.
"In an attempt to escape, the complainant asked for permission to go outside to drink water. When the accused allowed her to do so, the child followed her. The complainant then took the child and fled to a neighbouring homestead, where they spent the night. Due to shock and embarrassment, she initially reported the assault only to her neighbours," Ramkisson-Kara added.
The following morning, the complainant disclosed the full extent of the assault to a relative, who took her to the police to open a case. She was also referred to the Ngwelezane Thuthuzela Care Centre (TCC) for medical and legal support.
The accused fled the scene but was arrested two weeks later after being apprehended by his cousins and handed over to the police. During the trial, the State presented evidence from the complainant, the investigating officer, and a medical practitioner, and also submitted a Victim Impact Statement detailing the trauma suffered.
"In her statement, the complainant described feeling horrified and deeply violated, stating that she never imagined her own child would commit such an act against her," Ramkisson-Kara said.
Ultimately, the court ordered that the sentences of life imprisonment and an additional 10 years’ imprisonment run concurrently, resulting in an effective sentence of life imprisonment. The accused was also declared unfit to possess a firearm.