CONVICTED rapist Prince Hlungwane will spend 12 years behind bars after being found guilty of raping his friend’s girlfriend.
The 30-year-old from Green Valley near Acornhoek, Mpumalanga cried uncontrollably when he was taken to the holding cells at Mhala Regional Court on Tuesday.
He told the court that he didn’t mean to rape the victim but was only helping her release stress as she had problems with her boyfriend.
The rape happened in June 2016.
Appearing before magistrate Elmarie Theron, Hlungwane pleaded not guilty when he was sentenced on Tuesday.
He told the court that he didn’t rape the victim but that they had agreed to have sex and in return he would buy her alcohol. He said he was surprised when cops phoned him to hand himself over.
The victim, aged 24, told the court she was on her way to see her boyfriend when Hlungwane forced her into the bush.
“He dragged me into the bushes, removed my clothes and raped me repeatedly. After that he took me to the river to wash myself. He said if I told anyone about the rape he would kill me.”
Sergeant Stella Mkansi told the court the accused was linked to the crime by fingerprints collected from the broken bottle at the crime scene.
Lawyer Lucas Hlungwane pleaded with the court to be lenient with his client as he was a first-time offender.
Theron said the victim suffered a traumatic experience and that it is clear there was no agreement during the rape as injuries were recorded on the victim’s medical report.
