Witness Solly Ngomane has been sentenced to life imprisonment and an additional seven years for raping and assaulting his ex-girlfriend.Ngomane was convicted and sentenced at the Nelspruit Sexual Offences Court.

BRUTALITY

The court heard that on the night of the incident, the victim was leaving her parental home to meet her boyfriend. While walking, she came across her ex, Ngomane. He is said to have  stood in front of her, blocking her path. Ngomane dragged his victim to a nearby abandoned house where he saasaulted her and bit off her tongue. While in agony from her tongue being cut off, the victim was given a bottle of love potion to ingest. After that he apparently ordered her to undress and then raped her.The court was also shocked to hear that after raping his victim, Ngomane spent the night with her and, the next day, took her to a nearby river to wash her. Ngomane let his victim go after thre river and when she got home ,after the horrific incident, the victim woke her mother. NPA's Monica Nyuswa told the court that while using sign language, the victim asked her mother  for a pen and paper so she could write down what had happened to her."Her parents accompanied her to the crime scene and found the piece of her tongue on the ground. They took it with them to Themba Hospital ,where the woman received medical and psychosocial assistance."

NOT GUILTY

The incident was reported to the police and Ngomane was arrested shortly afterwards. "Ngomane had pleaded not guilty and denied the allegations. In her victim's impact statement, the victim told the court how the incident had left her traumatised and embarrassed." The magistrate sentenced Ngomane to life imprisonment for rape and seven years imprisonment for assault with intent to do grievous bodily harm. "The National Prosecuting Authority welcomes the successful finalisation of the matter and applauds the good work done by the prosecution and investigating team. This affirms our commitment to curbing the scourge of Gender-Based Violence against women and children," Nyuswa said.