Defenceless, 92-year-old woman was attacked in her own home, a place where she was entitled to feel secure, by her own flesh and blood
A PRETORIA High Court judge has sentenced a Mpumalanga man who strangled and raped his 92-year-old grandmother to two life sentences.
Sipho Oupa Kubeka, 38, of KwaMhlanga raped and killed his grandmother, Kozaphi Elizabeth Kubeka, on September 4 last year.
Passing sentence yesterday, Judge Selby Baqwa said numerous reports in the media about vicious attacks on senior citizens indicated the underlying need to protect not just communities in general, but the most vulnerable in our society.
“The most prized possessions of any human being are human life and human dignity,” the judge said.
“These ought to be treated as sacrosanct, in line with our Constitution.”
Though Kubeka admitted that he raped and killed his grandmother with whom he was living at the time of the crime, he claimed he did not know why he did it.
Kubeka said he went to his grandmother's room on the day of the crime and found her sleeping on the floor. He picked her up and laid her on the bed where he choked her. He then raped her before pulling a blanket over her.
"The deceased was a defenceless, 92-year-old woman who was sleeping peacefully.
"She was raped and killed in the sanctity of her own home, a place where she was entitled to feel secure," said Baqwa.
"Yet she was cannibalised by her own flesh and blood right there.
"This was clearly a vicious rape which is confirmed even by the accused in his statement when he said, 'I went to my room to take off the trousers and shirt (I was wearing) because there were blood stains on them'."
Kubeka's aunt and the deceased's daughter, Annah Sibiya, testified that her mother always complained about Kubeka's behaviour.
Sibiya said her mother told her on several occasions that if they found her dead, they must know that Kubeka had killed her.
She said Kubeka also used to tell her that "one day you will find your mother dead".
Kubeka's younger sister, Zama Motha, 24, said she believed her brother deserved what he got.
"I am not happy about what he did. He was never like this. He changed and people started to fear him, even before the murder," she said.
"My grandmother loved him the same way she loved all her grandchildren. I will always wonder what could have gone so terribly wrong."
Kubeka, who cried before he was led to the cells, told his relatives that there was no problem with the harsh sentence he received.
Life terms for death, rape of his own gran
Defenceless, 92-year-old woman was attacked in her own home, a place where she was entitled to feel secure, by her own flesh and blood
A PRETORIA High Court judge has sentenced a Mpumalanga man who strangled and raped his 92-year-old grandmother to two life sentences.
Sipho Oupa Kubeka, 38, of KwaMhlanga raped and killed his grandmother, Kozaphi Elizabeth Kubeka, on September 4 last year.
Passing sentence yesterday, Judge Selby Baqwa said numerous reports in the media about vicious attacks on senior citizens indicated the underlying need to protect not just communities in general, but the most vulnerable in our society.
“The most prized possessions of any human being are human life and human dignity,” the judge said.
“These ought to be treated as sacrosanct, in line with our Constitution.”
Though Kubeka admitted that he raped and killed his grandmother with whom he was living at the time of the crime, he claimed he did not know why he did it.
Kubeka said he went to his grandmother's room on the day of the crime and found her sleeping on the floor. He picked her up and laid her on the bed where he choked her. He then raped her before pulling a blanket over her.
"The deceased was a defenceless, 92-year-old woman who was sleeping peacefully.
"She was raped and killed in the sanctity of her own home, a place where she was entitled to feel secure," said Baqwa.
"Yet she was cannibalised by her own flesh and blood right there.
"This was clearly a vicious rape which is confirmed even by the accused in his statement when he said, 'I went to my room to take off the trousers and shirt (I was wearing) because there were blood stains on them'."
Kubeka's aunt and the deceased's daughter, Annah Sibiya, testified that her mother always complained about Kubeka's behaviour.
Sibiya said her mother told her on several occasions that if they found her dead, they must know that Kubeka had killed her.
She said Kubeka also used to tell her that "one day you will find your mother dead".
Kubeka's younger sister, Zama Motha, 24, said she believed her brother deserved what he got.
"I am not happy about what he did. He was never like this. He changed and people started to fear him, even before the murder," she said.
"My grandmother loved him the same way she loved all her grandchildren. I will always wonder what could have gone so terribly wrong."
Kubeka, who cried before he was led to the cells, told his relatives that there was no problem with the harsh sentence he received.
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