A 26-year-old Beit Bridge man, who had raped a critically ill woman, has been sentenced to an effective 10 years in jail.

Athizwiyangwi Ndou of Mapani village outside Beit Bridge had pleaded not guilty but was found guilty and convicted by Regional Magistrate Mr Joseph Mabeza.

It was testified that on 28 June this year, at about 19:00, Ndou approached the critically ill 34-year-old-woman who was resting in the company of two men at the side of the road

The other two men proceeded with their journey, leaving Ndou with the victim. Ndou proposed sex to the woman, but she did not respond as she was critically ill and could not talk. He then pushed her to the ground and raped her. After raping her, Ndou fled the scene, leaving the woman on the ground.

The complainant had to spend the cold night there since, after the incident, she could not walk. She was found unconscious by a passerby the following morning. She was taken to hospital for treatment but at that time failed to tell what had happened.

It was only on 19 September that she managed to narrate what had happened, leading to Ndou’s arrest.