The Somerset West Regional Court sentenced a 48-year-old man to life imprisonment for raping a woman after he and his accomplice followed her home.
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The rapist, Koos Kerneels, was handed down the sentence on 19 June following the attack in Grabouw five years ago.
He and his accomplice approached a 27-year-old woman while on her way home in Libanon, Grabouw, and raped her in December 2017.
His accomplice, 39-year-old Gerald Jacobs, pleaded guilty to a charge of rape at the time of their arrest and was subsequently sentenced to 18 years’ imprisonment by the Strand Regional Court.
However, Kerneels pleaded not guilty, and the case was moved to the Somerset West Regional Court.
‘The case was assigned to Captain Francois Boer, who started an intensive investigation and collected evidence to build a strong case and present it before court and based on this Kerneels was found guilty and sentenced,’ police spokesperson Wesley Twigg said. ‘Police management in the province thanked the investigating officer for the hard work he put into his investigation and added that the safety of women and children is a top priority of Western Cape police,’ he added.
Kerneels’ sentencing came a day after the Mossel Bay Regional Court sentenced Goodman Nomga to life imprisonment for rape, five years for sexual assault, and three years for theft on Tuesday.
In May 2004, the four-year-old victim was on her way to school when the accused picked her up along the road and said he would buy her chips. The accused then took the victim into a bush, where he brutally assaulted and raped her.
‘The case was assigned to Warrant Officer Sedrick Marks of the Mossel Bay FCS Unit who started his investigation with no leads to solve the case,’ explained Twigg. ‘DNA was discovered on the underwear of the victim and was sent for testing.’
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Mossel Bay child rapist gets life imprisonment after years on the run
Picture: Lisa Skinner/ Gallo Images