News / Regional
Headman gets 29 months for theft, attempted rape
08 Nov 2014 at 16:13hrs | Views
THE headman of Ezimnyama area in Mangwe District has been sentenced to 17 months imprisonment for attempting to rape his neighbour and robbing her of $700.
Nkosilathi Ngwenya, 33, pleaded with the court to spare him a custodial sentence and promised to give the complainant two heifers as compensation.
He publicly apologised to the complainant and her family as well as to the villagers he was leading.
"Your Worship I am sorry for this ungodly act I committed and I know what I did was not expected of me. I have let down the villagers who were looking up to me and I have tarnished the image of traditional leaders. I apologise to the complainant and her husband and all villagers," Ngwenya told the court.
Ngwenya, who is known as Headman Mabhunu, appeared before Plumtree magistrate, Gideon Ruvetsa, facing unlawful entry, attempted rape and theft charges.
Ruvetsa sentenced Ngwenya to 29 months in jail of which nine months were suspended for five years on condition of good behaviour. Three more months were further suspended on condition that he pays back the money he stole from the complainant.
His lawyer, Prince Butshe of Mcijo, Dube and Partners, submitted to the court that his client realised that he had committed a serious offence. He said Ngwenya also understood the trauma which his actions had brought on the complainant and her husband.
Butshe pleaded with the court to be lenient with his client saying he was likely to lose his job as a headman. He also said Ngwenya was prepared to pay back the money he stole from the complainant.
The facts are that on October 25, Ngwenya broke into the woman's bedroom, strangled her and bit her on the cheek and then tried to rape her.
The woman wrestled him until he gave up and fled from the house.
The court heard that the headman, who was drinking beer at the woman's bottle store on that day, sneaked into her bedroom and hid inside until the woman went to sleep.
Around midnight, the 30-year-old woman woke up and found a naked elderly man forcing himself into her blankets.
It was dark and she could not make out who it was but she tried to break free from the man's grip. The woman found it difficult to break free as the man was too strong for her. The headman allegedly strangled her until she was weak and he bit her on the cheek.
He tried to rape the woman but failed and then fled the house. Ngwenya left with $400, P2,000 and R690. The woman reported the matter to the police.
The police discovered a cellphone belonging to the headman at the crime scene. They searched his house and found some of the money which had gone missing at the complainant's house stashed under his bed.
They recovered $225, R69 and P350 hidden beneath his mattress and some groundnuts and round nuts under his bed.
Ngwenya was installed as Headman Mabhunu at his homestead in Osabeni area in August last year.
Nkosilathi Ngwenya, 33, pleaded with the court to spare him a custodial sentence and promised to give the complainant two heifers as compensation.
He publicly apologised to the complainant and her family as well as to the villagers he was leading.
"Your Worship I am sorry for this ungodly act I committed and I know what I did was not expected of me. I have let down the villagers who were looking up to me and I have tarnished the image of traditional leaders. I apologise to the complainant and her husband and all villagers," Ngwenya told the court.
Ngwenya, who is known as Headman Mabhunu, appeared before Plumtree magistrate, Gideon Ruvetsa, facing unlawful entry, attempted rape and theft charges.
Ruvetsa sentenced Ngwenya to 29 months in jail of which nine months were suspended for five years on condition of good behaviour. Three more months were further suspended on condition that he pays back the money he stole from the complainant.
His lawyer, Prince Butshe of Mcijo, Dube and Partners, submitted to the court that his client realised that he had committed a serious offence. He said Ngwenya also understood the trauma which his actions had brought on the complainant and her husband.
Butshe pleaded with the court to be lenient with his client saying he was likely to lose his job as a headman. He also said Ngwenya was prepared to pay back the money he stole from the complainant.
The facts are that on October 25, Ngwenya broke into the woman's bedroom, strangled her and bit her on the cheek and then tried to rape her.
The woman wrestled him until he gave up and fled from the house.
The court heard that the headman, who was drinking beer at the woman's bottle store on that day, sneaked into her bedroom and hid inside until the woman went to sleep.
Around midnight, the 30-year-old woman woke up and found a naked elderly man forcing himself into her blankets.
It was dark and she could not make out who it was but she tried to break free from the man's grip. The woman found it difficult to break free as the man was too strong for her. The headman allegedly strangled her until she was weak and he bit her on the cheek.
He tried to rape the woman but failed and then fled the house. Ngwenya left with $400, P2,000 and R690. The woman reported the matter to the police.
The police discovered a cellphone belonging to the headman at the crime scene. They searched his house and found some of the money which had gone missing at the complainant's house stashed under his bed.
They recovered $225, R69 and P350 hidden beneath his mattress and some groundnuts and round nuts under his bed.
Ngwenya was installed as Headman Mabhunu at his homestead in Osabeni area in August last year.
Source - chronicle
