Cape Town - Western Cape Director of Public Prosecutions Nicolette Bell has hailed the investigating and prosecution team for ensuring that rapist and robber Baxolise Ngalo, of George, was convicted and handed a sentence fitting the crimes he committed.
Ngalo was sentenced to an effective 15 years in the Thembalethu Regional Court.
He was convicted on charges of housebreaking with intent to rob, and robbery with aggravating circumstances, and rape.
The complainant and her friend were asleep in a house in Thembalethu, George, on May 3, 2019, when they were awoken by Ngalo and his accomplice who demanded money and their cellphones.
Ngalo raped the complainant in her bed, and threatened her with a knife.
The complainant’s friend managed to escape and was chased by the accomplice. The woman managed to escape after being raped, and reported the incident to her brother who lived a few houses away.
NPA spokesperson Eric Ntabazalila said the court considered a pre-sentence report compiled by a social worker of both the accused and the complainant.
The accused had several previous convictions at the time of the offence for housebreaking with the intent to steal and theft, among others.
The complainant declined to testify in aggravation of sentence but gave a victim impact statement, which was read into the record. She stated that she had to move to another house at great expense and that she is still undergoing therapy, four years after the attack.
She has night terrors, feelings of fear and loathing towards the accused, and is distrustful of men in general. The incident had a profound effect on her as a person, she said.
The court, after hearing arguments, found that there were no substantial and compelling reasons to deviate from the prescribed minimum sentences on either of the counts, and sentenced the accused to 15 years’ imprisonment for rape and 10 years for housebreaking with intent to rob, and robbery with aggravating circumstances.
The court ordered that the sentences imposed run concurrently and declared Ngalo unfit to possess a firearm in terms of Section 103 of the Fire-Arms Control Act, 60 of 2000.
Bell said that the women were attacked and violated in the sanctity of their home, which shows “utter disrespect”.
“I want to appeal to the community to be our eyes and ears so that we can ensure that the suspect still at large is arrested and prosecuted for his role in these crimes,” she said.
She said she was confident in the team that they would arrest the still-at-large suspect.
Cape Times