Trusted 'friend' turned rapist gets 22 years behind bars

A MAN who lured a woman into a false sense of safety before subjecting her to a brutal double rape in an open field in Sunrise, near De Aar, has been sentenced to 22 years in prison.

The 32-year-old attacker, Franklin Januarie, was convicted this week in the De Aar Regional Court of raping a 39-year-old woman twice in one night after pretending to escort her home safely.

Northern Cape police spokesperson Sergeant Molefi Shemane said the ordeal unfolded on the night of Saturday, September 23, 2023. The victim was walking home at around 8.30pm and was accompanied by Januarie, who she believed was a trusted friend. But as they crossed an open field, he turned violent - forcing her to the ground, assaulting her, and raping her.

After the first assault, he shockingly picked her up and carried her before raping her a second time.

Her anguished screams eventually drew the attention of a passer-by, prompting Januarie to flee the scene. The incident was reported to the police, and the case was handed over to the SAPS Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences Unit (FCS) in De Aar.

Thanks to the unit’s swift investigation, Januarie was arrested shortly afterwards. He remained behind bars throughout the trial after the court denied him bail.

In addition to the 22-year prison sentence handed down this week for two counts of rape, the court declared him unfit to possess a firearm and ordered that his name be added to the National Register for Sex Offenders.

The Pixley ka Seme district commissioner, Major-General Nomana Mtukushe, praised Detective Sergeant Willy Isaacs of the De Aar FCS Unit for his thorough investigation, which ensured justice for the victim and a lengthy prison sentence for the perpetrator.

The sentence has also been welcomed as a strong stance against gender-based violence, particularly in rural areas where women often face heightened vulnerability.