Another local rapist gets life sentence

ABERDEEN — Jeel Februarie of Aberdeen, who was seriously injured in a quad bike accident earlier this month, was transferred from Livingstone Hospital in Port Elizabeth to Midland Hospital in Graaff-reinet last Thursday, where he is making slow but steady progress.

He is now able to sit up and eat and follow instructions.

He can say a few words, and usually recognises members of his family. His condition does, however, continue to fluctuate from day to day, and he is likely to remain in hospital for some time. He will return to Livingstone for a checkup in another five weeks.

The family is extremely grateful to all those who have expressed their concern and for the many prayers.

GRAAFF-REINET — During the early hours of Sunday, August 10, 2014, a 36-yearold female was asleep in her home in Bree Street, Santaville.

She was woken to find four men inside her bedroom.

The unfortunate victim was assaulted and threatened with death if she would call for assistance. The victim was raped by one of the suspects in the presence of a 5-year-old relative of who she was taking care at the time.

A case of rape was registered and handed to D/const Valomia Abrahams for the local Family Violence Child Abuse and Serious Offences Unit (FCS) for investigation.

The investigation soon led to the arrest of a local resident, Winston Kiewiet alias “Little”. DNA collected from the scene would seal Kiewiet’s fate at the trial that was concluded in the Graaff-reinet Rotary Supreme Court on September 14, 2017. Kiewiets was convicted on a charge of Housebreaking with the intention to rape and a second charge of Rape.

Sentence was handed down in the same court on Thursday, December 7 this year. On the count of Housebreaking Kiewiets was sentenced to five years imprisonment while he sent to prison for the rest of his life on the count of Rape. Kiewiets was 19-years-old at the time the crime was committed.

W/O van Rooyen once again applauded the sterling investigation conducted by D/const Abrahams who has seen numerous perverse offenders receiving life sentences after similar convictions in recent months. Van Rooyen further expressed appreciation for the fact that the courts are showing little leniency towards sexual offenders as this sentence and others clearly illustrates.