TWO men were incarcerated for 66 years by Mmabatho Magistrate’s Court on Friday. Happy Makhanya, 21, and Zweli Kgati, 21 were arrested for raping a 17 year-old girl back in December 2012.

The incident took place at Lotlhakane village, outside Mahikeng. They dragged the victim to a house and raped her.

North West police spokesperson, Col Sabata Mokgwabone said: “The Mmabatho Regional Court sentenced the two accused in three separate cases of rape. In the first case, they were both handed down 20 years imprisonment respectively for raping a 17-year-old minor in December 2012. They raped the victim after dragging her to a house in Lotlhakane village near Mahikeng. 

“Makhanya was further sentenced to 18 years in prison for raping another minor aged 16 during February 2013 in Lotlhakane village. He threatened her with a knife and raped her. The court also sentenced Kgati to a separate 8 years for raping an 18-year-old girl in March 2013 in the same village.”

Mokgwabone said the sentences meted to the accused will run concurrently with the 20 years imprisonment. 

“They were also declared unfit to possess firearms in terms of Section 103 of the Firearms Control Act, 2000 (Act No. 60 of 2000). The North West provincial commissioner, Lieutenant General Baile Motswenyane expressed her gratitude for the convictions. She said that the police in the province will continue to send messages through swift investigations that would subject wrong doers to receive hefty sentences,” he said.

-TDN

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