Young men jailed on Katima rape charge

TWO young Katima Mulilo residents were sentenced to jail terms of 15 and 18 years on Friday, after they were convicted in the Katima Mulilo Regional Court on a charge of raping a woman following a night’s drinking two years ago.

Sentenced to a 15-year prison term by Katima Mulilo Regional Court Magistrate William Kasitomo is 20-year-old Vilho Natangwe Kalenga. Magistrate Kasitomo sentenced 24-year-old Manyando Albert Simubali, who unlike Kalenga has a previous criminal conviction for assault on his record, to 18 years’ imprisonment.The two young men were convicted of raping a 28-year-old woman at Katima Mulilo on June 1 2006.They initially told the court in plea explanations at the start of their trial that they and the complainant had shared some drinks at a shebeen on the evening in question.According to them, the complainant had asked them for beer, and they agreed to provide some of this beverage to her if she agreed that they could later “share a bed”.They later went on to have consensual sex with her, they claimed.Later on in their trial, however, they made an about-turn and denied knowing anything about the incident in which the woman was allegedly raped.They claimed that they found the complainant at a bar, and that she told them that she had been injured when she jumped off a vehicle to get away from someone.According to the complainant, though, she was attacked by Kalenga and Simubali after leaving a shebeen, where they had been in each other’s company.She said they grabbed her, dragged her into the bush and raped her there.Simubali was arrested two days later.Kalenga was only arrested in early January last year.Both men were free on bail until their trial was finalised.They stood their trial without legal representation.Public Prosecutor Pieter Smit conducted the prosecution.Magistrate Kasitomo sentenced 24-year-old Manyando Albert Simubali, who unlike Kalenga has a previous criminal conviction for assault on his record, to 18 years’ imprisonment.The two young men were convicted of raping a 28-year-old woman at Katima Mulilo on June 1 2006.They initially told the court in plea explanations at the start of their trial that they and the complainant had shared some drinks at a shebeen on the evening in question.According to them, the complainant had asked them for beer, and they agreed to provide some of this beverage to her if she agreed that they could later “share a bed”.They later went on to have consensual sex with her, they claimed.Later on in their trial, however, they made an about-turn and denied knowing anything about the incident in which the woman was allegedly raped.They claimed that they found the complainant at a bar, and that she told them that she had been injured when she jumped off a vehicle to get away from someone.According to the complainant, though, she was attacked by Kalenga and Simubali after leaving a shebeen, where they had been in each other’s company.She said they grabbed her, dragged her into the bush and raped her there.Simubali was arrested two days later.Kalenga was only arrested in early January last year.Both men were free on bail until their trial was finalised.They stood their trial without legal representation.Public Prosecutor Pieter Smit conducted the prosecution.