An Mpumalanga man was jailed for 20 years on Wednesday for raping two teenagers on their way to school.
Angel Phokane, 29, from Clau Clau Trust near Mbombela, was sentenced in the Nelspruit Regional Court, a Sapa correspondent reported.
He was arrested in February last year on four charges — armed robbery, attempted murder, and two rapes. He pleaded guilty to all the charges and told the court he was influenced by a substance he had been taking. He did not identify the substance.
In his confession statement, Phokane told the court that on February 6, 2012, he attacked two young girls at Silingane Trust while they were on their way to school.
“After I assaulted one of the girls and stabbed her in the back of her neck with a knife. I demanded their two cellphones and they gave them to me,” Phokane said in his statement.
“I then forced the other girl, who was in school uniform into the veld, where I had oral sex with her. I then… raped her. The other girl escaped while I was busy raping her.”
On February 22 he again went to his spot at Silingane Trust to wait for other girls.
“When the other 15-year-old, who was in school uniform, approached, I threatened her with a knife and forced her to follow me into the veld. I forced her to lie on the ground and raped her,” he said.
“I left the girl at the scene and walked away. I know what I did was wrong and is punishable by law.”
Passing sentence, magistrate Willie Wilkens said: “The court is satisfied that you did not try to deceive us with lies.”
Wilkens sentenced Phokane to 10 years for armed robbery, 10 years for attempted murder, and 20 years for each of the two rapes. The sentences would run concurrently, meaning he would only spend 20 years in prison.
“Your name will be placed in the register for sexual offenders and you are not fit to work with children or possess a firearm,” Wilkens said.
“When you get employment after your release from prison, you should disclose to your new employers about these offences. If you fail, a fine for R140,000 will be imposed on you by the court.” – Sapa