The high court in KuGompo City has sentenced a 40-year-old man to life in jail for multiple serious offences — including rape, sexual assault and assault with intent to cause grievous bodily harm — committed against his 35-year-old partner who is living with a disability.
The man, from Gompo Location, committed the offences between March 2024 and February 2025.
“In March 2024, the accused assaulted the complainant with an iron rod, inflicting serious injuries, before locking her inside a house and leaving with the keys,” National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) spokesperson Luxolo Tyali said.
“In a later incident, after the complainant had been in a motor vehicle accident that left her wheelchair-bound and reliant on a walker, the accused again brutally assaulted her.
“He forcibly removed her clothing and, despite her resistance and explanation of her medical condition after a hip operation, sexually violated her.
“He then poured a liquid substance into her genital area before raping her.”
A medical examination confirmed she suffered genital tears, head lacerations, bruising and puncture wounds.
The accused was arrested on March 5 2025 at his residence in Gompo Location.
The state had opposed him being granted bail.
Arguing for an appropriate sentence, state advocate Hlanga Mondliwa said the gravity of the offences, their prevalence and the need to protect vulnerable people, particularly those with disabilities, warranted the harshest penalty.
The court sentenced the accused to: six months for assault, four years for malicious damage to property, 10 years for assault with intent to cause grievous bodily harm, five years for sexual assault and life for rape.
The sentences will run concurrently.
The NPA welcomed the sentence, saying the judgment reflects the criminal justice system’s firm stance against gender-based violence and the abuse of vulnerable people.
“This sentence sends a clear message that courts will not tolerate the brutalisation of women, particularly those in vulnerable circumstances,” Tyali said.
“The NPA remains committed to ensuring perpetrators of such heinous crimes are held accountable and that victims receive justice.”
Daily Dispatch