News24 | Northern Cape man sentenced to 13 years for raping 61-year-old aunt

A 28-year-old man from Vanwyksvlei has been convicted and sentenced to 13 years in prison after being found guilty of raping his 61-year-old aunt in December 2021.

• A 28-year-old Northern Cape man has been sentenced to 13 years in prison for raping his 61-year-old aunt.
• He attacked her on 17 December 2021, threatening her life before fleeing.
• He was only arrested in July 2023 after forensic evidence linked him to the crime.

A 28-year-old man from Vanwyksvlei, Northern Cape, has been convicted and sentenced to 13 years in jail for the rape of his 61-year-old aunt.

According to the police, an unknown man sneaked up on the woman in the early hours of 17 December 2021 and sexually assaulted her.

The perpetrator threatened to kill the woman if she screamed. After raping her, he fled the scene.

“The victim managed to escape through a window and ran to her daughter’s house for help,” said police spokesperson Sergeant Molefi Shemane.

“The police were immediately contacted, and the victim was taken to hospital for a medical examination.”

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Shemane said the case was assigned to the Carnarvon Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences (FCS) Unit, which collected forensic evidence from everyone who had been at the house before the incident.

“Forensic evidence positively linked the accused to the crime. He was arrested on 21 July 2023 and later released on bail.”

On Wednesday, the De Aar Circuit Regional Court convicted and sentenced the accused to 13 years’ direct imprisonment and declared him unfit to possess a firearm.

The Provincial Commissioner of the Northern Cape, Lieutenant General Koliswa Otola, applauded Detective Warrant Officer Floris Fritz of the Carnarvon FCS Unit for his dedication and commitment in solving this complex case.

She also commended the cooperation between SAPS investigators and Prosecutor Xolisa March for presenting a strong case in court.

Otola appealed to community members not to protect sexual offenders, but to break the silence and report these heinous crimes.