By REGINALD KANYANE
29 October 2026 – A man (41) was sentenced to life imprisonment for raping his former girlfriend (53). Lehlohonolo Ramphobo was also sentenced to six months imprisonment for contravening the Immigration Act.
The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) regional spokesperson in the North West, Lindiwe Mabasa said the sentence follows Ramphobo’s conviction on both counts by the Potchefstroom Regional Court in connection with an incident that occurred on 23 September 2026. Mabasa said on the day of the incident, the victim contacted Ramphobo to request the return of her cell phone as they were no longer in a relationship.
“Ramphobo subsequently went to the victim’s residence, allegedly under the pretext of returning her cell phone. Upon arrival, he pushed her around and accused her of having sexual intercourse with another person. He then pushed her onto a bed and raped her. He further threatened to send people to kill her, if she disclosed what had happened.
“The victim subsequently reported the rape to the authorities, leading to Ramphobo’s arrest. Ramphobo was charged with rape and contravention of the Immigration Act, as he did not have documentation authorising him to be in the country. He pleaded not guilty to both charges, but later made admissions on the immigration charge, acknowledging that he was in the country illegally,” she said.
Mabasa further said, however, he maintained that the sexual intercourse was consensual and claimed that the victim was bitter following the end of their relationship. She added that in aggravation of sentence, the state prosecutor Thandi Ntoyi argued that Ramphobo had shown no remorse and had never apologised to the victim.
“She further submitted that, having been in a domestic relationship with the victim, he had occupied a position of trust. Instead of protecting her, he abused that trust by inflicting harm, causing her psychological and emotional trauma. The state urged the court not to deviate from the prescribed minimum sentence.
“The court agreed with the state and sentenced Ramphobo to life imprisonment for rape and six months imprisonment for contravening the Immigration Act. Both sentences are to run concurrently. The court further ordered that Ramphobo’s particulars be entered into the National Register for Sex Offenders,” said Mabasa.
The Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), Dr Rachael Makhari welcomed the sentence, noting that Gender-Based Violence and Femicide (GBVF), remain prevalent challenges both in the region and nationally. Makhari emphasised the need for joint interventions by law enforcement agencies and communities to combat this scourge.
“The NPA reiterates that rape is a serious crime that violates the dignity and bodily integrity of victims. The authority remains committed to prosecuting perpetrators of sexual offences and ensuring that victims receive justice,” she said.
