Man gets 10 years for rape

 The Butha-Buthe Magistrate' Court on January 7 sentenced Ibrahim Joseph Abram (21) of Manamela in the district to ten years imprisonment without an option of a fine after it found him guilty of raping a 23 year-old woman. Abram was also convicted of abducting and assaulting the victim several times before and after the rape.

According to evidence presented before the court, the victim was in the company of two of her friends in town, when the convict forced the three into his car, taking them to Serutle, where he raped her. Abram then took the victim and her friends to his house, where he repeatedly raped her. It is suspected that her friends were also raped, although they did not press charges against him.

The friends were able to escape the next morning and informed the victim's in-laws and husband about the abduction.

Abram pleaded not guilty, telling the court that the victim had been his lover since 2002.

08 January 2004