26 years in jail for rapist of student

Msindisi Sonamzi, 38, who raped a King Hintsa College student in 2018 was on Tuesday sentenced to 26 years in prison.

The Butterworth regional magistrate’s court, sitting in Centane, sentenced Sonamzi for raping a 21-year-old woman at Khobonqaba locality in Nombanjane village.

Sonamzi raped the woman over a seven-hour period.

The court heard that he dragged her to a nearby forest on February 10 2018, where he assaulted and raped her until 4am the next day.

King Hintsa College student leader, Zithobile Mawisa, said they welcomed the sentence.

“It is something that we have been hoping for,” he said.

Mawisa said the incident had affected the victim psychologically and also other female students who were now scared to stay in the village.

He said, after the incident, student leaders had fought for the students to be moved to town.