20 years in jail for Northern Cape man who raped two relatives

The Carnarvon regional court has sentenced a 24-year-old man who raped two women on separate occasions in 2022 to an effective 20-year jail term. 

Northern Cape National Prosecuting Authority spokesperson Mojalefa Senokoatsane said on Friday the man, who was not named to protect the identity of his victims, raped the first woman in January of that year. 

“The accused visited the home of his cousins, and when he arrived, he found the wife of his cousin asleep after having had a few [alcoholic] beverages. The accused took advantage of the drunken state of the victim and proceeded to undress her and have sexual intercourse with her while she was asleep,” Senokoatsane said. 

When she woke up, she realised her husband's cousin had raped her and ran out to seek help.

“The accused later claimed that the sex was consensual on condition that the accused would give the complainant two litres of wine,” Senokoatsane said.

The accused was arrested but was granted bail by the court. 

“While on bail, on June 2 2022, the accused entered the home of his other cousin and while she was asleep in a drunken state he proceeded to undress her and rape her. 

“Her boyfriend and his cousin walked in to catch the accused red-handed.”

The man was arrested. 

The accused was sentenced to 10 years' imprisonment on each of the two rape counts.

“The court ordered that the sentences not run concurrently but consecutively, thus an effective term of 20 years was handed down.” 

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