- The High Court of South Africa, Eastern Cape Division, in Ntabankulu, sentenced Velisani Mngani (23) to an effective 30-year imprisonment term for the rape.
- During the assault, Mngani gouged the girl’s eyes out, leaving her permanently blind.
- The court convicted and sentenced Mngani to 30 years for rape, 13 years for robbery, eight years for attempted murder and five years for kidnapping.
A man (23) has been sentenced to 30 years in prison for the rape of a girl (16) during which he gouged her eyes out, leaving her blind.
The High Court of South Africa, Eastern Cape Division, in Ntabankulu, sentenced Velisani Mngani (23) yesterday, November 13, 2023.
According to a family member, the incident happened on Good Friday, April 2022.
Talking to Express, she said the victim was on her way home after meeting with her boyfriend when the suspect followed her and dragged her into a forest, where he repeatedly raped her.
She said after raping her, he gouged both her eyes out. One eyeball was left at the scene, and another was found hanging from her eye socket.
The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) spokesperson, Luxolo Tyali, said the court convicted and sentenced Mngani to 30 years for rape, 13 years for robbery, eight years for attempted murder and five years for kidnapping.
Tyali said that Court ordered all the sentences to run concurrently with the 30 years of rape.
“Mngani entered into a plea and sentence agreement with the state. In his plea explanation, he admitted that he was walking in a forest in Ngombonqani localition in Mount Ayliff when he saw the schoolgirl walking alone in the same forest on April 15, 2022.
Tyali said,
According to him, the victim fought back, beating him on his body and fingers, but he overpowered her. After raping her, he decided to kill her to avoid being identified as they come from the same locality.
Tyali added that he strangled her with his hands and used a blunt object to stab her, poked her eyes out and left her dead, according to him.
He said the court, however, considered mitigating factors and agreed that there are substantial and compelling circumstances justifying the departure from the imposition of the prescribed minimum sentence of life imprisonment.
Eastern Cape Director of Public Prosecutions, Barry Madolo, commended the prosecutor and the investigating team for ensuring that justice is seen to be done for the vulnerable and defenseless in society.
Director of Khula Community Development Project, Petros Majola, said he was happy that Mngani had pleaded guilty to all the charges and that the victim did not have to be called to the dock to lead evidence and be grilled by the defense attorneys. She is blind and has lost both her eyes. She will never forget that she was once raped. We want to thank everyone who supported us,” said Majola.
