3 life sentences for murder, rape
‘Rape is a violation of a woman’s privacy and the violation of a choice that a woman has of who she can choose to have sex with.’
Judge Rosheni Alli did not beat around the bush when she sentenced two Mossel Bay men, Akhona Shweni (29) and Lwamkelo Khwaza (20), in the Mossel Bay Circuit High Court to, among others, three life sentences each, on Wednesday, 30 October.
Shweni and Khwaza were found guilty on charges of robbery with aggravating circumstances, the murder of Mossel Bay resident, Masixole Blou, as well as the kidnapping and rape of his woman friend in January this year.
The charges relate to the brutal incident which took place at the house of Blou's friend in Scholtz Street, KwaNonqaba, on Saturday evening, 26 January. On the night of the incident Blou and the victim were at the house in Scholtz Street and lying in bed when the two accused entered the house. They demanded money, cellphones and the key to Blou's white BMW parked outside.
The accused tortured Blou with a knife and stabbed him multiple times, demanding his car keys and taking his black Nike top, his sneakers, red jumpers and green plyers. During sentencing Judge Alli said that Blou pleaded for his life and tried to defend his female friend, begging the accused not to hurt her.
"The deceased suffered fear and anxiety and tried to protect the lady." They then brutally stabbed him and raped her while bending her over Blou who was dying, Alli said. "The deceased asked them to call an ambulance but they left him to bleed out and die. During the incident Shweni and Khwaza forced the victim to cover herself before putting her in the deceased's car and driving away with her."
Rape cannot be compared to sex
They raped her (the victim) again outside the vehicle at Maseko Circle, KwaNonqaba and kept a jersey over her head. One of the accused threatened to cut her eyes out if she looked at them. They then dropped the victim close to her house after which she alerted a friend who phoned the police. Blou, who has four children, was found dead in the house where he was stabbed.
Alli gave a strong message during sentencing, while the two accused's distraught parents were sitting in court. "Rape is a violation of a woman's privacy and the violation of a choice that a woman has of who she can choose to have sex with. Rape cannot be compared to normal sex. It is brutal and usually women can't wear off the attack. The accused treated her as a possession who had no right to bodily pride and integrity."
Judge Alli said that Blou provided for his family and formed part of a church congregation. "A family and community has been robbed of his value in their lives. The accused should learn that life is precious. And though they still have theirs, the deceased was robbed of his."
She also said that people who have vehicles put their lives at risk simply by having a vehicle. "Because the accused rob them and kill them or their cars."
Judge Alli sentenced both accused to the following: on charge 1, robbery with aggravating circumstances, 15 years' direct imprisonment; on charge 2, murder, life imprisonment; on charge 3, rape, life imprisonment; on charge 4, kidnapping, five years' direct imprisonment and on the second charge of rape, life imprisonment. The case was successfully investigated by the KwaNonqaba Police detectives.