Rapist of Busila teen jailed for life

CONVICTED rapist Xolisa Nantsula was sentenced to life imprisonment by the Willowvale Magistrate’s Court on Friday.

Nantsula, 33, was arrested early last year for raping his 16year-old neighbour in Busila village.

Butterworth police spokesman Captain Jackson Manatha said Nantsula had accosted three girls on New Year’s Day last year around 8pm.

“The three were coming from a traditional ceremony,” he said. “He [Nantsula] chased them and caught up with the victim, who was only 16 at the time. The two other girls managed to outrun him.”

He stabbed the girl before raping her. And when she pleaded with him not to kill her, calling him by his name, he stabbed her again, said Manatha.

He then fled, thinking she was dead. But the young girl managed to crawl home by about midnight, when she was later taken to hospital.

“He was traced and arrested a day later. He was charged with rape.” The spokesman said police were happy with the hefty sentence, and hoped it would serve as a deterrent to other would-be rapists.

● A 20-year-old man was arrested on Friday for the rape of a young girl on Thursday at Candu village in Dutywa around 5pm. Manatha said he would appear in the Dutywa Magistrate’s Court today.

● Two men aged 26 and 30 were arrested in Willowvale on Thursday in connection with the death of a third man in Nkazana village.

Manatha said the deceased is believed to have had a misunderstanding with the other two while they were in a taxi.

They allegedly drew knives and stabbed the man before jumping out of the taxi and disappearing. “The community assisted the police with identification of the suspects. They were traced and arrested.”

They will appear in the Willowvale Magistrate’s Court soon.

Acting Butterworth cluster commander Colonel Ncedo Ngwendze thanked the community of Nkazana for their help. —