CACADU – Khanyisa Khayingana (27) has been sentenced to life imprisonment at the Cacadu Regional Court on 3 July after being convicted of raping a 14-year-old girl at knifepoint in the Tsembeyi Administration Area outside Cacadu in August 2024.

According to police spokesperson Captain Yolisa Mgolodela, on 30 August 2024, the victim and her grandmother were about to sleep in her grandmother’s bedroom when they were distracted by noise from the direction of the kitchen.

She said upon entering the kitchen, they were accosted by a stranger carrying a knife in his hand, who gave them orders not to cry and grabbed the victim by force and carried her on his shoulders to a nearby mountain.

“Upon arrival at the mountain, the accused repeatedly raped the victim. He later took the victim to a certain rondavel where he continued to rape her during the night and then dumped her,” said Mgolodela.

She said the victim arrived at her home the following day.

Mgolodela said police were summoned and she was taken to hospital for medical examination.

She said police sought the suspect and arrested him on 3 September 2024, and he made his first court appearance on 5 September 2024.

“The Investigating Officer successfully opposed bail and the accused remained in custody for the duration of the trial until his sentencing to life imprisonment on 3 July,” said Mgolodela.

The Chris Hani District Commissioner Major General Rudolph Adolph lauded Investigating Officer Constable Sonwabile Faku for the sterling job in securing a life imprisonment sentence against Khayingana.

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