Cape Town - A Limpopo man has been sentenced to life imprisonment for the rape of a 67-year-old woman.
In a statement released on Friday, provincial police spokesperson Brigadier Motlafela Mojapelo said the 45-year-old man was sentenced in the Lephalale Regional Court on Thursday.
The incident occurred on November 11, 2017, in Villa Nora outside Lephalale.
According to the evidence before the court, the victim was woken up by a knock on the door at her home at about 3 am.
She opened the door and found it to be one of her relatives, who had been sent to fetch her following the death of another relative.
The victim and the perpetrator left to the place where the relative had died, in the same area. However, along the way, the accused grabbed and dragged the victim under a bridge and raped her.
The court heard that, in an attempt to hide his crime, he forced the victim to a nearby mountain and tried hanging her.
The victim managed to escape and sought help from community members.
Police were notified and a case of rape was immediately registered for investigation.
Investigating officer Detective Warrant Officer Sophie Mantwa Malapile of the Lephalale Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences (FCS) unit ensured the arrest of the accused following a joint intelligence operation by detectives and the Crime Intelligence Unit.
Provincial police commissioner Lieutenant-General Thembi Hadebe praised the investigating officer for ensuring that the man was detained and that justice prevailed.
Hadebe welcomed the sentence and stressed that perpetrators of sexual violence against the vulnerable, particularly elderly women, should have no place in society.
African News Agency (ANA)