Icamagu News reporter
The Makhanda High Court has sentenced 21-year-old Simanye Stamp to life imprisonment for the rape of a woman in New Vale, Mlungisi, bringing a lengthy legal process to a close and marking a significant moment in the fight against gender-based violence.
The incident occurred on 26 October 2024. According to court evidence, Stamp had asked a woman he knew to accompany him to a homestead in New Vale, claiming he needed to collect his belongings. When they arrived, he forced her inside the house, where another armed man was present. The two men then took turns raping her.
When the victim failed to return home, her twin sister and a neighbour became concerned and went out to search for her. They located her and were able to intervene, rescuing her from the scene. She later opened a rape case at the Mlungisi police station, setting the legal process in motion.
Stamp appeared in court several times before being convicted. On 19 November 2025, he was sentenced to life imprisonment for the attack.
District Commissioner Major General Rudolph Adolph welcomed the outcome, saying the sentence sends a strong and necessary message at a critical time in South Africa’s battle against gender-based violence and femicide. He said the judgment reflects the seriousness with which the justice system views such crimes.
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