Sentencing of thief and rapist today

A 29-year-old man was found guilty by the Eastern Cape High Court in Port Elizabeth yesterday for the rape and sexual assault of two Nelson Mandela University students.

Kwanele Kilana was convicted on 11 charges, which included four counts of rape, housebreaking with intent to steal and theft, robbery with aggravating circumstances, compelled sexual assault, attempted robbery with aggravating circumstances and sexual assault.

He had previously pleaded guilty to some of the charges.

In October last year, a 25-year-old female student and her friend were violently attacked in a computer lab at the Second Avenue Campus.

The man raped and sexually assaulted the students, robbed them of a cellphone and stabbed one of them with a pair of scissors. In his plea statement, Kilana admitted to forcing the women to undress in order for him to see that they were not hiding any other valuable items underneath their clothing.

He then forced the women to kiss one another. Kilana then proceeded to rape one of the women, simultaneously forcing the other to kiss him.

The women were then forced to take a computer and monitor, which they had to carry until they were outside the building.

Their attacker ordered the women to pass the goods to him before he jumped the gate and fled.

Kilana was also convicted in a separate incident where he raped a woman in July last year.

He admitted to following the woman, hitting her and stealing her cellphone and cash. Sentencing will be passed today. – ANA