Youth raped boss, throttled her

2008-06-25 21:29

Pietermaritzburg - An 18-year-old youth who pleaded guilty to raping his 48-year-old employer, and who was also convicted of causing her death, was jailed for 27 years by the High Court here on Wednesday.

Sanele Mtolo, of Himeville, told the court that he squeezed his victim's throat, but did not strangle her. He pleaded not guilty to her murder and was convicted of culpable homicide.

Judge Jan Hugo said that very little distinguished the culpable homicide from murder.

It was found that Mtolo had been drinking, was sexually aroused, was a first offender, was young and pleaded guilty to her rape.

His semen was found on the woman's leg and there would have been some difficulty in proving he had raped her had he not pleaded guilty to it.

Taken together, these amounted to substantial and compelling circumstances, freeing the court from having to impose the prescribed life sentence.

Mtolo was jailed for 10 years for the culpable homicide, 15 years' for the rape and two years' for stealing her cellphone.

The victim had employed Mtolo as a labourer and he attacked and raped her when she was alone on the night of July 12 last year.

- SAPA