Man rapes 93-year-old grandmother

A 21-year-old man from Esigodini has been sentenced to an effective 20 years in prison after being convicted of raping his 93-year-old grandmother in the middle of the night.

The man, whose name is being withheld to protect the identity of the victim, was found guilty of rape by Gwanda regional magistrate Ms Sithembiso Ndebele, who described the offence as "heinous and inhumane."

In delivering her judgment, Ms Ndebele said the State had proved its case beyond reasonable doubt, noting that the accused had offered no plausible explanation for the allegations made against him.

"The State has managed to present its case, thereby putting you at the scene of the crime. No explanation has been presented to the court on why the complainant and her elderly neighbour could have fabricated these allegations against you," she said.

Ms Ndebele condemned the accused's actions, describing them as both morally and socially reprehensible, especially given that the victim was his own grandmother.

"What is worse is that the accused person committed the offence under aggravating circumstances, where he pushed the complainant to the floor and raped her. The complainant is an elderly person and your grandmother, which means such actions were not expected from you," she said.

She added that a lengthy custodial sentence was necessary to deter similar crimes.

"A deterrent sentence is called for so that it serves as a lesson to like-minded people who go around prowling on elderly people," she said.

Prosecutor Ms Zanele Sithole told the court that the crime occurred on July 6 at around 10PM when the accused went to his grandmother's homestead.

The complainant was asleep in her bedroom hut when she heard a knock on the door. The accused identified himself and instructed her to open.

"The complainant opened and asked him why he had come to her homestead at such an hour. The accused did not respond but grabbed the complainant, pushed her to the floor, and raped her," said Ms Sithole.

The elderly woman screamed for help, alerting a neighbour who quickly mobilised other villagers. The accused fled upon realising he had been discovered, but villagers tracked him down, following his footprints and a hat he dropped while escaping. He was later apprehended and handed over to the police.

The magistrate commended the villagers for their swift response and cooperation with law enforcement, which led to the arrest of the accused.

The court said the offence was aggravated by the victim's advanced age and the familial relationship between the accused and the complainant.

The man will serve 20 years in prison without the option of a fine.