MBABANE – Acting DPP Lomvula Hlophe yesterday requested the court to heed the maidens’ call made during the Reed Dance for all arms of government to work together in fighting GBV.
This was during the mitigation of a Mozambican man, Carlos Nhambombe, who was recently convicted of raping 12 young women in Mbabane.
Judge Mamba found that in all 12 charges, in while he was found guilty, there were aggravating factors.
This, according to the court, means that for each count, he will not be sentenced to less than nine years.
Nhambombe had pleaded with the court for a lenient sentence. However, Hlophe said the imposition of stiff sentences will make society feel protected.
“During the past week, there was Umhlanga and the maidens of similar age as the victims, in their slogans and songs, implored all arms of government to work together to ensure their protection from gender-based violence (GBV). The imposition of stiff sentence will be one of the ways that the Judiciary hears their plea,” said Hlophe.
The maidens, according to Hlophe, were of the same age as the complainants in this case.
Nhambombe (51), who has been in custody since December 5, 2012 when he was arrested, told the court that he was married and has three children. The eldest is 27 years old.
“They are at home in Mozambique. They were maintained by my wife but she left. No one takes care of them now, baphila kabuhlungu. I ask the court to give me a lenient sentence. May the court sentence me based on the old law and not the Sexual Offences and Domestic Violence Act 15/2018 because it has come with harsh sentences,” Nhambombe pleaded with the court.
He also implored the court that the sentences be ordered to run concurrently. He also asked the court to consider the period he has spent in custody.
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