Sentence handed to KZN Facebook serial rapist reversed
Prosecutors in KwaZulu-Natal have secured a win in their appeal against a sentence handed down to a convicted rapist.
The Ntuzuma Magistrate's Court handed Philani Ndwandwe 15 years behind bars on each of the five counts of rape he pleaded guilty to in 2023.
He was accused of luring his victims with the promise of employment, using the social media site Facebook.
The attacks, at knifepoint, took place in Amoati, north of Durban, between 2018 and 2020.
KZN NPA spokesperson Natasha Kara says the State appealed the sentence as two charges attracted the minimum sentence of life imprisonment.
READ: PanSALB call for multilingual court proceedings
Kara says one victim was left physically disabled, while another suffered grievous bodily harm.
"The Durban High Court agreed with the state’s argument, setting aside the 15 years imprisonment imposed on the two counts of rape and replacing them with life imprisonment.
"The court highlighted the violence used on the complainants, the premeditation involved and the seriousness of gender-based violence as part of its judgment.
"The imposition of the life sentence underscores the gravity of the crimes committed. Sexual offences will not be tolerated in our society and will be met with the full force of the law. The NPA is committed to fighting the scourge of gender-based violence. The continued collaboration with our SAPS counterparts is yielding positive results."
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