Lesotho National Receives Life Sentence for Brutal Rape, Attempted Murder, and Robbery in Eastern Cape
In a recent ruling at the Mount Fletcher Regional Court, a Lesotho immigrant, Katleho Mpakanyane (20), has been handed a life sentence for a heinous crime that shook the community. Mpakanyane was also sentenced to 15 years for attempted murder and five years for robbery with aggravating circumstances, leaving the community and law enforcement relieved that justice has been served.
The horrifying incident occurred on the night of May 7, 2023, when the victim was returning home alone from a local tavern in Quthing Mangolwaneng, within the District of Mount Fletcher. Little did she know that her evening would take a nightmarish turn.
As the victim approached her homestead, she realized that she had left her keys at her neighbor’s house. In a chilling twist of fate, she suddenly felt an ominous presence behind her, a sharp object pressed against her neck. Mpakanyane, the assailant, began a brutal attack, stabbing her in the back, causing her to fall onto her stomach. He then turned her over, continuing his relentless assault by stabbing her repeatedly in the face and neck. To make matters even more horrifying, he subjected her to a traumatizing rape while keeping a knife menacingly pressed against her neck. After the horrific assault, he robbed her of her cellphone before fleeing the scene.
Thanks to diligent police investigations, Mpakanyane was identified as the perpetrator and subsequently admitted to his guilt on all three charges. During the court proceedings, Regional Court Prosecutor Zonke Maranjana argued that there were no mitigating circumstances that warranted a deviation from the prescribed minimum sentence. Maranjana urged the court to impose a life sentence for the rape charge. Regional Court Magistrate Sello Mokotjo concurred with the prosecutor’s plea, ultimately handing down a life sentence for the rape charge, in addition to 20 years for the other offenses.
Barry Madolo, the Eastern Cape Director of Public Prosecutions, expressed his satisfaction with the sentencing and praised both the prosecutor and the investigating officer for their dedication in securing the conviction and delivering a fitting sentence.
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