Man gets 28 years for raping teens, as other cases heard in courts

FOUR men appeared in court in Butterworth and Mqanduli on Friday on charges of rape.

The men – whose ages range from 22 to 53, were arrested in connection with the rapes of several women, including one of 64 and one of 20, at different places and on different dates.

The Butterworth Regional court sentenced Xolisa Solala, 27, to an effective 28 years in prison after he was convicted on two counts of rape.

He was sentenced to eight years for raping his 19-year-old neighbour three years ago, and an additional 20 years for raping a 15-year-old girl while out on bail.

During the trial, Solala pleaded not guilty, claiming the victims were his girlfriends.

However, regional court prosecutor Luyanda Gobingca presented eyewitness and DNA evidence that proved beyond reasonable doubt that Solala was guilty as charged.

Acting police provincial Commissioner Major-General Andre Swart and National Prosecuting Authority regional spokesman Luxolo Tyali welcomed the sentence and said they hoped it would act as a deterrent to would-be rapists.

Swart said: “This will send a strong message to society that crimes against women and children will not be tolerated.”

On Friday, the Mqanduli Magistrate’s Court dealt with three rape cases. In one case a suspect, 53, made his first court appearance in connection with the rape of a 64-year-old woman at Khwenxurha village. He is in custody until his next court appearance on March 10.

In a second matter, a 22-yearold youth is accused of raping a 54-year-old woman at Lucwecwe village, and in the third case, another youth of 22 appeared in connection with the rape of a 20-year-old woman at Ntlonyana village of Ntenga near Elliotdale. Both men were remanded in custody until their formal bail applications.

Mqanduli police spokesman Lieutenant-Colonel Zamukulingisa Jozana and his Butterworth counterpart, Captain Jackson Manatha, said police would work hard to arrest all rapists and called on communities to assist police in dealing with the crime. dispatch.co.za