A Northern Cape man who took advantage of a mentally disabled patient inside a hospital toilet while being treated for a stab wound has been sentenced to 15 years behind bars, bringing a long-awaited sense of justice to the survivor.
A NORTHERN Cape man who took advantage of a mentally disabled patient inside a hospital toilet while being treated for a stab wound has been sentenced to 15 years behind bars, bringing a long-awaited sense of justice to the survivor.
The Barkly West Regional Court handed down the sentence to 42-year-old Molaodi Michael Manone, who was found guilty of raping a 19-year-old patient at Professor ZK Mathews Hospital in Barkly West on July 14, 2019.
According to Northern Cape police spokesperson Sergeant Timothy Sam, a security officer at the hospital discovered Manone engaging in sexual acts with the young woman inside a toilet. Medical staff were alerted, and it was revealed that the victim, a patient with a mental disability, had been raped by Manone, who himself was admitted for a stab wound.
The legal process was complex and drawn out, as the victim’s mental and psychological state required repeated assessments before she could testify. Eventually, after extensive consultations, she bravely took the stand, leading to a conviction.
The court sentenced Manone to 15 years imprisonment for rape and ruled that his name be entered into the National Register for Sex Offenders. It also declared him unfit to possess a firearm.
Northern Cape provincial commissioner Lieutenant-General Koliswa Otola commended the Galeshewe SAPS Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences (FCS) unit for their persistence in securing the conviction. Special recognition was given to Detective Warrant Officer Tanya Serfontein, who worked closely with mental health professionals to ensure the victim’s voice was heard in court.
Lieutenant-General Otola noted that justice has been served for this vulnerable victim, and believed the sentence would serve as a warning to those who prey on society’s most vulnerable.
