HLANGANANI – Two residents of Mozambique, Jone Oscar Muchanga (31) and Fernando Rafael Nube (35) will each spend the next twelve years in jail for rape. Their case was finalised in the Waterval Regional Court on Monday.

The incident relating to the case took place during the evening of June 31 this year, in the bushes surrounding the Nwamatatani RDP houses. The victim was on her way from Nwamatatani RDP houses to the nearby village when the incident took place.

She was in the company of her niece. On the way they met the two accused, who came from the opposite direction. The court heard that one of the accused grabbed the victim by the hand and ordered her to go with them to the nearby bushes.

Her niece managed to escape and ran home during the incident. On arrival in the bushes the first accused, Muchanga raped the victim at gunpoint. He then handed the firearm over to Nube, who also raped her repeatedly. The victim was released towards the middle of the night.

The victim disclosed the information to other community members, who responded by tracing the accused. They managed to arrest the first accused, Muchanga and handed him over to the police. The police later arrested the second accused.

The victim is a 25-year-old woman who resides at Nwamatatani settlement. The police have issued a statement thanking the Nwamatatani community members for their efforts in arresting the first suspect, despite the fact that he was armed with a firearm at the time of his arrest.