Katima rape trial ends in 16-year prison term

A KATIMA Mulilo resident was sentenced to 16 years’ imprisonment on Thursday last week after he was convicted in the Katima Mulilo Regional Court on a charge of rape.

Sikatu Sifoyi (26) stood trial before Magistrate Bongani Ndlovu on a charge that he had raped a 23-year-old woman at Katima Mulilo on October 16 last year. Sifoyi’s trial ended with the Magistrate convicting him of rape and sentencing him to a 16-year jail term on Thursday.During the trial, the court heard that the woman who was raped by Sifoyi was at a bar at the town with her boyfriend and a relative of hers on the evening of October 16 last year.Sifoyi at one stage tried to pull her out of the bar, but someone stepped in and separated him from the young woman.She later went home with family members of hers.Sifoyi later also arrived at her home.When he asked where she was he was told that she was not home.Sifoyi did not seem to be pleased with such an answer, and he started making threats against her relatives, saying he was going to burn down their house, the court heard.The relatives fled from the house, and Sifoyi then entered, found the woman he was looking for hiding under a bed, dragged her out of her hiding place, and raped her while threatening her with a knife, the court heard.Sifoyi stood trial without legal representation.Public Prosecutor Pieter Smit represented the State.Sifoyi’s trial ended with the Magistrate convicting him of rape and sentencing him to a 16-year jail term on Thursday.During the trial, the court heard that the woman who was raped by Sifoyi was at a bar at the town with her boyfriend and a relative of hers on the evening of October 16 last year.Sifoyi at one stage tried to pull her out of the bar, but someone stepped in and separated him from the young woman.She later went home with family members of hers.Sifoyi later also arrived at her home.When he asked where she was he was told that she was not home.Sifoyi did not seem to be pleased with such an answer, and he started making threats against her relatives, saying he was going to burn down their house, the court heard.The relatives fled from the house, and Sifoyi then entered, found the woman he was looking for hiding under a bed, dragged her out of her hiding place, and raped her while threatening her with a knife, the court heard.Sifoyi stood trial without legal representation.Public Prosecutor Pieter Smit represented the State.