Jackson Manamela, age 23, was found guilty of robbery and rape and was sentenced to life in prison by the Mahwelereng Regional Court.
Manamela had been arrested for breaking into the same woman’s home with the purpose to steal and commit robbery, and as of the May 2022 incident, he was out on bond.
According to Colonel Malesela Ledwaba, a spokesperson for the Limpopo police, Manamela discovered the 84-year-old grandmother cooking outside her shanty on May 9, 2022, at Millennium Village, a policing precinct west of Mokopane.
“He unexpectedly attacked and stabbed the elderly victim with a pair of scissors on the forehead and dragged her into the shack,” Ledwaba said.
Manamela robbed the woman of R70 in cash and her social grant card. He proceeded to rape the elderly woman before he fled the scene.
“Afterwards, the victim went to the neighbour’s house and informed them about the ordeal and police were immediately summoned to the scene. Robbery and rape cases were immediately opened and the suspect was subsequently apprehended after just three days on May 12, 2022,” said Ledwaba.
The case was transferred to Mokopane Family Violence, Child Protection, and S*xual Offences Unit (FCS) for further investigations, and Sergeant Ramokone Tinah Matsimbi was assigned to probe the matter.
“Through her dedication and commitment, she (Matsimbi) ensured that Jackson Manamela was never granted bail after it was discovered that he was out on bail for housebreaking with the intention to steal and commit robbery on December 2, 2019, committed against the same 84-year-old victim,” said Ledwaba.
He will have to spend the rest of his life in prison as he so deserves.