Staff Reporter
Frances Baard District management welcomes the conviction and 15 years imprisonment sentencing of Ernest Khoza; 50, for house robbery and rape.
The sentences will run concurrently with a five-year sentence previously imposed, resulting in an effective sentence of 25 years’ direct imprisonment.
The sentence follows a traumatic incident that occurred on Thursday, 29 November 2018, when the 34-year-old victim was asleep at her residence in Warrenton with her husband and their two-year-old daughter.
The family was awakened by two armed assailants, who demanded money from the victim’s husband, and assaulted him and subjected him to electric shocks using a wire. One of whom was wearing a balaclava.
The victim’s husband was then taken to another bedroom, where the couple’s twin daughters were sleeping. Their hands and feet were tied, while the other suspect proceeded to remove valuable items from the house, including a television set and other household possessions.
Khoza, who was one of the assailants, forced the victim, who was still carrying her two-year-old daughter, into the main bedroom.
He instructed her to put the child down, after which he raped her in the presence of her young daughter.
The two suspects subsequently fled the scene, and the victim managed to free her husband and daughters before reporting the incident to the police.
The case was assigned to Detective Sergeant Desmond Modise of the Provincial Organised Crime Investigating Unit for investigation.
Through diligent investigative work, the two suspects were traced and arrested in Barkly West on 26 February 2019.
One of the suspects was positively identified by the victim and was subsequently prosecuted.
The second accused could not be linked to the offence and was acquitted.
Detective Sergeant Desmond Modise was commended for his professionalism, dedication and commitment throughout the investigation.
His efforts in tracing and apprehending the accused ultimately contributed to securing a conviction and a lengthy prison sentence for the heinous crimes committed.
Comments are closed.