Plettenberg Bay rapist sentenced to 15 years in prison

The Plettenberg Bay Regional Court has sentenced Siyamcela Yali to 15 years imprisonment for the horrific rape of his ex-girlfriend.

The incident occurred on the evening of December 4, 2020, when the victim was on her way to meet friends in KwaNokuthula.

The court heard that Yali, who had a romantic relationship with the victim that ended eight years prior, accosted her as she left her boyfriend's house. After a brief conversation with a friend, who warned her that Yali was following her, the victim noticed him approaching. When she informed him that he was not the father of her child, Yali violently grabbed her and dragged her into the bushes.

Armed with a knife, Yali threatened to stab her if she made any noise. He forced her to undress and began to physically assault her with a stick. The victim complied out of fear, and the ordeal lasted for six harrowing hours, during which Yali took breaks to smoke and continued to assault her.

At dawn, the victim heard the voices of two men approaching, one of whom was Lindokuhle Maziko. Upon discovering the victim in distress, Maziko intervened, recognising both the victim and the accused. He bravely confronted Yali, who was armed with a stick, and managed to disarm him. The victim then fled the scene, tying her T-shirt around her waist for modesty.

After the attack, the victim reported the incident to her friend, who took her to her sister's house. They subsequently went to the police station, where the victim identified Yali as her rapist.

During the trial, Yali denied the charges, claiming that the victim and Maziko were framing him. However, prosecutor, Johannes Marx, successfully proved the case against Yali, leading to his conviction for rape.

The court's decision to impose a 15-year prison sentence was welcomed by the State.

"This outcome sends a strong message that our justice system will not tolerate such brutal and senseless acts. We are intensifying our efforts across the criminal justice value chain to ensure that perpetrators of these heinous crimes are swiftly brought to book and receive sentences that truly reflect the severity of their offences.

"The State will continue to strengthen investigative and prosecutorial capacity, invest in victim-support mechanisms, and work in partnership with civil society to break the cycle of GBVF. Justice must not only be done, it must be seen to be done, and we are committed to restoring public confidence in the system through decisive action and unwavering accountability," the NPA said.