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A NORTHERN Cape man was sentenced to 12 years behind bars for raping an 18-year-old girl who was walking home from church with a female friend.
The Kuruman Regional Court convicted and sentenced the 30-year-old accused, Thabang Tshabadira, to 12 years direct imprisonment for raping the teenager.
Northern Cape police spokesperson Sergeant Molefi Shemane said.that, on October 28, 2018, at approximately 11am, the victim was walking home from church with a female friend when an unknown man suddenly appeared from behind a tree, his face covered by 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,” said Shemane.
“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 lie on it and to remove her clothes.”
Shemane said 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,” said Shemane.
“The police were called and the victim opened a case.
“On October 4, 2023, the Kuruman Regional Court convicted and sentenced Tshabadira to 12 years direct imprisonment.”
Shemane added that Tshabadira was declared unfit to possess a firearm and unfit to work with children, while his name was entered in the National Register of Sex Offenders.
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”.