15-year jail term imposed on man who raped elderly woman in her home

Limpopo police have welcomed the effective 15-year prison term imposed by the Polokwane high court on a rapist who attacked a 70-year-old woman, and returned to her home two and a half years later.

Nakedi Harold Chipu, 29, was found guilty of rape and housebreaking with the intent to rape.

Col Malesela Ledwaba said the court heard how, at 1am in February 2022, he broke into the elderly victim's house in a rural village in the Senwabarwana policing area while she was asleep and raped her.

"When the victim attempted to escape, the accused pulled her back, bit her on the cheek, and continued to rape her.

"The victim eventually managed to escape to a neighbour's house to seek help, leading to the arrest of the accused, who was later released on bail."

In 2024, the victim woke up at about 5am on September 13 to discover the rapist asleep in her son's bedroom.

"The victim alerted neighbours who apprehended the accused, resulting in his arrest."

For the rape charge, Chipu was sentenced to 20 years imprisonment with five years suspended on condition he is not convicted of a similar offence during the period of suspension. For the housebreaking charge, he received three years imprisonment, ordered to run concurrently with the sentence for the rape charge. The court also declared the accused unfit to possess a firearm.

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