The Morebeng Regional Court sentenced Elphias Ditshego Mudau aged 39 from Phooko village in the Sekgosese policing area under Mopani district to life imprisonment.
The hefty sentence emanates from an incident that occurred on 02 February 2017 when the accused met a 29-year-old mentally challenged woman in the street and forced her to his place of residence in the same area.
Upon arrival, the accused threatened to kill the victim and then assaulted and raped her. Later on when the victim arrived at home, her mother noticed that her face is swollen and started questioning her. She then narrated the ordeal to her mother who immediately contacted the police.
A case of rape was opened and then transferred to Giyani Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences (FCS) Unit and the docket was allocated to Constable Vutomi Precious Maluleka for further police investigations. Consequent to the thorough investigation and professionalism by this detective, the accused was arrested and positively linked to the crime through forensic evidence.
The Provincial Commissioner of the police in Limpopo Lieutenant General Thembi Hadebe has commended the Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences Unit particularly the investigating officer, for the meticulous work. She reiterated that the police will continue to work hard to ensure that perpetrators of Gender-Based Violence face the full might of the law, concluded Lieutenant General Thembi Hadebe.
