The Keimoes Regional Court has delivered severe sentences to two men for the 2020 kidnapping and rape of a 24-year-old woman, bringing a five-year legal process to a close.
The court heard that the horrific incident began on the night of January 24, 2020, while the victim was asleep at her boyfriend’s residence. The two accused, Tozamile Verster (24) and Reggie April (18), arrived at the dwelling and launched a violent attack on the boyfriend, assaulting him with stones. The boyfriend managed to escape the scene to seek assistance.
With the boyfriend gone, Verster and April turned on the victim, holding her captive. They then forcefully dragged her along a river’s side stream. Throughout the night and into the following morning, the men assaulted and repeatedly raped the young woman. They further compounded the trauma by making demands for payment in exchange for her release.
The perpetrators only released their victim the next morning upon noticing that police officers were actively searching the area for her. The duo was subsequently arrested and charged with kidnapping and rape.
The case concluded on Friday, August 29, 2025, with the presiding officer handing down the sentences. Tozamile Verster received 22 years imprisonment for rape and an additional 5 years for kidnapping. His accomplice, Reggie April, was sentenced to 15 years imprisonment for rape and 5 years for kidnapping. The court ordered that the sentences for each individual are to run concurrently, meaning each man will effectively serve the longer of their two sentences.
