Rape accused Pretoria man denied bail
PRETORIA, October 15 (ANA) – The Soshanguve magistrate’s court north of Pretoria has denied bail for 26-year-old Richard Smangaliso Mamba, accused of raping a 26-year-old woman who was celebrating her birthday last month, the National Prosecuting Authority said on Thursday.
North Gauteng regional spokesperson for the director of public prosecutions Lumka Mahanjana said Mamba appeared before the court on Wednesday.
“It is alleged that on 20 September 2020, Mamba raped a 26-year-old woman, at a street close to a tavern where she was celebrating her birthday with her friends. He later took her to his house where he raped her again,” said Mahanjana.
“In the morning, Mamba gave her money to go home. She went to the police station to report the matter and Mamba was arrested a few days after the incident.”
The matter was postponed to November 26 for further investigation.
Last week, 32-year-old Mpumalanga man Petros Mfanimpela Ngwenya of Thembisa Trust in Pienaar, was sentenced to two life terms plus 40 years imprisonment for rape and robbery with aggravating circumstances by the Nelspruit regional court.
On Monday, NPA Mpumalanga provincial spokesperson Monica Nyuswa said Ngwenya was convicted on three counts of rape and two counts of robbery with aggravating circumstances. One of the victims was a minor.
Between May 2017 and April 2019, Ngwenya would target his victims and befriend them until they gained his trust. He would then lure them to secluded areas and rape them, Nyuswa said.
In one incident in April last year, a 22-year-old victim was walking alone when she came across Ngwenya, who assaulted her, dragged her to the bushes and raped her more than once. He further took her handbag, two cellphones and R16 (US$0.97) cash before fleeing the scene, leaving the victim in the bushes.
Ngwenya was sentenced to life imprisonment for the rape of a minor and another life sentence for raping the 22-year-old. He was also sentenced to 10 years for another rape and a further 15 years on each count of robbery with aggravating circumstances.
– African News Agency (ANA), Editing by Stella Mapenzauswa