In a decisive ruling, the Regional Court has handed down a life sentence to 40-year-old Nkosiyedwa Enoch Ngesi for the 2018 rape of his neighbor. Presiding Magistrate Mrs. Parks also ordered that Ngesi’s particulars be entered into the National Register for Sex Offenders and deemed him automatically unfit to possess a firearm.
The court heard that in the early hours of 07 October 2018, at approximately 02:00, Ngesi entered the victim’s home while she and her two-year-old daughter were asleep. The victim’s boyfriend was not present, having been at a local tavern at the time. Upon entering, the accused switched off the lights and a radio that was playing.
He then proceeded to undress the sleeping victim and repeatedly raped her. In her testimony, the victim stated that throughout the assault, she believed she was with her boyfriend, calling out his name. She explained that she had consumed liquor the previous evening. She only realized the identity of her attacker as she saw Ngesi leaving her residence after the incident.
Immediately upon her boyfriend’s return from the tavern, the victim reported the rape. The boyfriend subsequently confronted Ngesi, who denied any involvement.
The case against the accused was solidified through forensic evidence, as DNA analysis conclusively linked him to the crime. Faced with the overwhelming evidence, Ngesi entered a plea of consent. However, the State, represented by Prosecutor Azola Key, successfully proved to the court that no consent was obtained from the victim, leading to a conviction for rape.
