Pretoria – The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) has welcomed the sentence of one life term each, handed down by the Atteridgeville regional court to Pretoria men Getwin Moloto, 30, and Lebohang Makola, 35, for rape.
North Gauteng regional spokesperson for the director of public prosecutions, Lumka Mahanjana said the duo from Saulsville, in Atteridgeville, west of Pretoria were convicted of raping a lesbian.
“This is after the two were convicted of raping a 19-year-old lesbian. On the evening of 16 December 2020, the victim was trying to open a gate at her house, coming from accompanying her partner,” Mahanjana said.
“The two, working with a third accomplice, grabbed her and carried her to a shack where they raped her.
“While Moloto was raping her, he kept on asking her why she was taking their women. However, in the process of raping her Makola continued to ask her to be his girlfriend,” Mahanjana said.
“After the incident, the victim asked if she can use the toilet outside and they agreed but allowed her to only wear pants. When she got to the door, she ran to her home three houses away and told her mother what had happened.”
The matter was reported to the police and the victim was taken to the Laudium Thuthuzela Care Centre for medical examination.
“Upon their return home, they found the victim’s underwear in the yard which was left at Moloto shack. Moloto was linked to the crime after he was identified by the victim since she recognised his voice when he was raping her,” Mahanjana said.
Moloto then pointed out his co-accused Makola.
In court, prosecutor Paulina Mochaka told the court that the offence was influenced by hatred towards her sexuality.
“The victim was a neighbour to Moloto, and he was supposed to be someone that protected young women in the community but chose to take advantage of them with his friends,” Mochaka said.
The prosecutor asked the court to impose the prescribed minimum sentence.
Reacting to the sentence, North Gauteng Director of Public Prosecutions, Advocate Sibongile Mzinyathi said crimes that are influenced by hatred towards the LGBTQI+ community would not be tolerated, and will be prosecuted.
He thanked court preparation officer Kopano Motshwane, “who ensured that the victim was fit to testify in court”.
IOL