Rapist to spend 20 years behind bars

A 32-year-old Prince Mashaba will spend the next 20 years behind bars for raping a minor (14 year old). The sentence was handed down by the Nkomazi Regional Court on Monday, 14 August 2023.

It was during the National lockdown on 31 March 2020, when the ordeal occurred. The young girl was coming from her aunt’s place at Mangweni going back to her parental home at Tonga.

The convict Prince Mashaba who was working as a delivery crew for a well-known liquor distributor in Nkomazi attacked the young girl walking on the road between Tonga and Mangweni. Mashaba immediately alighted from the truck on the next stop after passing the victim as they were already done with deliveries. Mashaba walked back to the direction where the victim was walking next to the sugar cane farms. He dragged the victim to the farm and raped her.

A case of rape was opened at Tonga SAPS by the victim’s mother, however the suspect was unknown at the time the case was registered.

A year later on 07 July 2021, the victim identified the suspect while busy offloading liquor from the truck at a local liquor outlet. She took all the necessary details she could get and immediately called the Investigating Officer. Investigation was immediately launched and it was revealed that the truck belongs to one of the local liquor distribution company. The suspect was arrested after being identified by the victim on 08 July 2021 and made his first appearance in Nkomazi Magistrate’s Court where he was remanded in custody.

He appeared again on 16 July 2021 for a formal bail application where bail was denied. The case was referred to Nkomazi Regional Court whilst the suspect was still in custody until he was found guilty and sentenced.

Mpumalanga Provincial Commissioner, Lieutenant General Semakaleng Daphney Manamela welcomed the sentence and appreciated NPA for handing down such a sentence.

Source: South African Police Service