A man who raped his friend’s wife after a day of boozing and socialising will be locked up for 15 years.
The Mitchells Plain Regional Court handed down the sentence to 34-year-old Walter Mupare on Wednesday, 8 April.
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The court found him guilty of rape and ruled that there were no reasons to give him a lighter sentence.
Western Cape National Prosecuting Authority spokesman Eric Ntabazalila said the NPA welcomes the sentence.
He said the court agreed that “no substantial and compelling circumstance existed” to reduce the minimum sentence.
Ntabazalila also said the court found the accused “unfit to possess a firearm” and ordered his name to be placed on the sex offenders’ register.
The shocking incident happened on 18 June 2024 in Mandalay.
According to court evidence, the accused spent the day with his friend and the friend’s wife. They went to the beach and later continued drinking at the couple’s home.
Late that night, the victim went to sleep as she had work the next day.
A short while later, the accused claimed he had left his phone inside the house. He left his friend sleeping in the car and went inside.
He found the woman asleep and raped her.
The court heard that he fondled her without consent and raped her while she was sleeping. The victim woke up during the attack, pushed him away and screamed.
She ran outside to call her husband for help.
The accused then grabbed his clothes and ran away wearing only a vest and boxer shorts.
Neighbours heard the screams and chased after him. They caught him and took him to the police station, where he was arrested.
The court heard that the rape left the victim traumatised.
She had to send her kids back to Zimbabwe as she struggled to cope.
Her marriage also suffered and the family faced financial problems after her husband left his job.
The court found the victim was a strong and reliable witness. It rejected the accused’s version as false.
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Ntabazalila said the state proved the case “beyond a reasonable doubt”.
He added that the NPA remains committed to fighting gender-based violence and ensuring criminals face justice.
