DNA evidence helps secure life term for Maletswai rapist

The National Prosecuting Authority has welcomed a life sentence handed to a 20-year-old man convicted of raping an 84-year-old woman in Maletswai (Aliwal North).

Tshepo Majela was sentenced by the Maletswai Regional Court after being found guilty of the rape, which took place on 7 October 2023.

According to the NPA, the elderly woman had locked her home and gone to sleep with a light on. During the night, she woke up after hearing the light being switched off and found an unknown man standing over her with a knife at her throat.

The court heard that the attacker threatened her, dragged her from her bed and raped her. When the woman screamed for help, he allegedly assaulted and stabbed her before fleeing.

At the time, the attacker was unknown to the victim and the investigation initially produced no leads.

A breakthrough came when Majela was later arrested in connection with a robbery matter. A buccal sample was obtained from him and submitted for forensic analysis.

The resulting DNA profile matched evidence obtained during the rape investigation. Further forensic testing confirmed the match, leading to Majela’s arrest and prosecution on the rape charge.

During sentencing proceedings, State Prosecutor Anele Magibile argued that the seriousness of the crime, the victim’s advanced age and vulnerability, and the violence used during the attack justified a severe sentence.

The prosecution submitted that Majela violated the safety of the woman’s home, threatened her with a knife and subjected her to a brutal sexual assault in a place where she should have been safe.

The court sentenced Majela to life imprisonment. He was also declared unfit to possess a firearm and ordered that his particulars be entered into the National Register for Sex Offenders.

Eastern Cape Director of Public Prosecutions Advocate Samkelo Mtwana welcomed the sentence and commended the prosecution and investigation teams.

“This sentence sends a strong message that the NPA will relentlessly pursue justice for victims of sexual offences, regardless of how much time has passed since the commission of the crime,” Mtwana said.

He said the victim was particularly vulnerable because of her age and that the life sentence appropriately reflected the seriousness of the offence and the need to protect vulnerable people.

The NPA also commended Magibile and Detective Warrant Officer Mokheseng, saying DNA evidence was instrumental in identifying the perpetrator and linking him to the crime.