Daily roll call of arrests, NPA prosecutions and convictions – 17 February 2022

17 Feb 2022

Our round-up of successful criminal prosecutions, arrests or ongoing matters in South Africa’s courts based on media releases from the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA). We do this to reflect on the rule of law and to make justice visible.

North West

The Taung Regional Court sentenced Matlhomola Mokwatsi to 18 years of imprisonment for rape.

In light of the scourge of gender-based violence and femicide in South Africa, advocate Sandile Mbokazi urged the court not to deviate from the prescribed minimum sentence. Magistrate Buti Zulu sentenced Mokwatsi to 18 years but agreed with the State on the need to strengthen advocacy on these issues.

Mokwatsi met the victim, an 18-year-old woman, at Molelema village near Taung on 4 March 2018. She was on her way to a friend’s house to print her CV.

Mokwatsi offered to help her and, at his house, took her to his bedroom, threatened her with a spade, strangled her and then raped her twice. She managed to escape by requesting water from him and fleeing while he was fetching it.

Mokwatsi was arrested on 5 March 2018 but the withdrawal of his first attorney delayed the trial. He subsequently appointed a Legal Aid attorney.

The evidence included a medical report confirming the injuries sustained by the victim, who testified that she grew up around Mokwatsi and considered him her elder.

Mokwatsi claimed that he and the victim were lovers and that the sex was consensual, but the court dismissed this submission.

The prosecutor and the police involved in putting Mokwatsi behind bars were lauded by Dr Rachel Makhari-Sekhaolelo, the acting director of public prosecutions in North West. DM

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