The Waterval Regional Court has sentenced Masilo Ranhlakgoe (24) of Madombidzha Village to two life sentences, while his co-accused and friend, Thendo Sadiki (23), was sentenced to life in prison for rape. The two raped a 27-year-old woman at Ramahantsha village in the Sinthumule area on August 12, 2009.

According to the report by the police, the woman was praying at home around midnight when the two broke a window and gained entrance into the house. They then dragged her to the nearby bushes where she was raped by the two, one after the other, for a number of times. Afterwards, they threatened to kill her if she disclosed the incident to anyone. They alslo stole a television set and a cell phone from the woman´s house.

Ranhlakgoe and Sadiki appeared in court for several times before the case was eventually finalised last Wednesday. Ranhlakgoe received two life sentences because he had also raped another woman, aged 25, on the same day. The two were also sentenced to five years´ imprisonment each for housebreaking and theft.