A South African man, Sechaba Mohapi, 42, has been sentenced to 15 years in direct imprisonment for r@ping his 23-year-old neighbour. Mohapi, from Masike in Phelindaba near Bloemfontein, was convicted after standing trial at the Bloemfontein s3xual offences court.
The incident occurred on December 9, 2022, when the victim, a lesbian, was walking to the shop to buy milk. The accused called her into his yard, pretending to ask her to purchase something on his behalf. Once inside, he forcibly pulled her into his house, threatened her with a knife, and r@ped her.
After the assault, he discarded her clothes outside. The victim had previously informed Mohapi that she was not interested in a romantic relationship when he proposed, citing her s3xual orientation.
Regional court prosecutor Azola Key argued that no substantial or compelling reasons existed to reduce the mandatory 15-year minimum sentence, emphasizing the severity of the crime and the prevalence of corrective r@pe in society. Mohapi’s Legal Aid representative had pleaded for a lighter sentence, noting that he was a first-time offender. The court also ruled that Mohapi’s details be added to the National Register for S3x Offenders.