Latest news with #NatashaRamkisson-Kara
The Citizen
14 hours ago
- The Citizen
Life imprisonment for rapist of elderly woman
THE Scottburgh Regional Court has sentenced a 38-year-old man to life imprisonment after he pleaded guilty to the rape of a 64-year-old woman. The rape occurred in 2023 in the KwaCele area. According to the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), in the early hours of 18 January 2023, the complainant was asleep in her bed when she felt someone's presence in her room, and she awoke. NPA regional spokesperson Natasha Ramkisson-Kara said the accused grabbed her and used his hand to cover her mouth to prevent her from screaming. ALSO READ: KZN marks International Children's Day with calls to end violence against children 'He told her he would do as he pleased, and thereafter, he would give her R200. He overpowered the complainant and raped her. Her screams alerted her daughter to the offence, and she came to her mother's rescue,' said Ramkisson-Kara. Ramkisson-Kara further revealed that the accused then climbed through the bedroom window and fled the scene. 'He was arrested shortly after, at his place of residence, after being pointed out by the complainant and her daughter. 'In aggravation of the sentence, Prosecutor Thanusha Govender told the court that the circumstances of the offence were inhumane. The complainant had a right to feel safe in the sanctity of her own home, however, the accused invaded her privacy. ALSO READ: No explosion, says Tronox after loud bang prompts evacuation 'Govender also handed in the J88 form, as well as a DNA analysis report. The accused was convicted accordingly, and he was declared unfit to possess a firearm,' added Ramkisson-Kara. Ramkisson-Kara said the NPA welcomes the life sentence handed down. 'Elderly persons are protected by legislation due to their vulnerability as they age, and ought to be able to live in a peaceful and safe environment. Cases such as this underscore the NPA's commitment to ensuring justice is served, particularly in cases involving crimes against the most vulnerable members of our society, our elderly,' she said. Don't have the ZO app? Download it to your Android or Apple device here: HAVE YOUR SAY Like our Facebook page and follow us on Twitter. For news straight to your phone invite us: WhatsApp – 060 784 2695 Instagram – zululand_observer At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!
The Citizen
21-05-2025
- The Citizen
Child (3) beaten with rolling pin and strangled to death: Durban mother sentenced
The Durban High Court sentenced a 35-year-old woman to 20 years' direct imprisonment after she pleaded guilty to the assault with intent to do grievous bodily harm and murder of her three-year-old daughter in May 2022. Rising Sun reports that in her plea, the accused said that she had a difficult childhood and had witnessed and been subjected to violence. She said that she was raped at the age of 17 and this traumatic experience had caused her to attempt suicide. The accused said that she was destitute and staying in a shelter in 2019 when the deceased was born. She said that she met a woman on social media who offered to foster the deceased for her, and she agreed. The deceased went on to stay with the foster mother for three years. During this time, the accused married the father of her youngest child. This man, who resides in the United Kingdom (UK), then encouraged her to bring the deceased back to live with them so that they could be a family. The child was thus brought back to her home. However, her husband had to return to the UK because his South African visa had expired. He left her alone with the three children (her older daughter, the deceased and her youngest child). She said that she would often beat the two girls during her bouts of anger and throw things at them. Regional spokesperson of the National Prosecuting Authority, Natasha Ramkisson-Kara, said: 'On May 31, 2022, the accused had taken her youngest child, who suffers from glaucoma, to the clinic as he was unwell. Her children were aged nine, three and one at the time. When she returned from the clinic, she tried feeding her youngest child, but he refused to eat and started crying. She then prepared food for the deceased, but she too refused the food and started crying. The accused said that she got angry and frustrated and hit the deceased with a rolling pin all over her body and on her head.' She said that the children continued to cry, and the situation was worsened by the deceased soiling herself. She took the deceased to the bathroom to clean her up, but she continued to cry, as did the younger child. The accused said that she was very angry and hit the deceased as she washed her. She eventually strangled the deceased. The accused said that her older child tried to stop her, but she was so enraged that she continued to attack the deceased. When she eventually realised that the child had stopped breathing, she panicked. She dressed the child and wrapped her in a blanket. Thereafter, she phoned her husband to tell him what she had done. He contacted a doctor, and the police were called to the scene. 'In court, the state, represented by Advocate Kelvin Singh, submitted victim impact statements, which were compiled by the deceased's foster mother and the deceased's sister, and facilitated by court preparation officer, Thandeka Nadi Mofokeng. 'In her statement, the foster mother said that she had taken care of the deceased since she was three weeks old until a month-and-a-half before she was murdered. The woman said that she is heartbroken and that the incident has adversely affected her. Further, she mentioned that she would have taken the deceased back if the accused had told her that she was not coping,' added Ramkisson-Kara. In her statement, the deceased's sister said that she misses her sister a lot. She also said that she experiences nightmares and is afraid to sleep. The accused pleaded guilty to murder read with the provisions of Section 51 and Part 1 of Schedule 2 of the Criminal Law Amendment Act 105 of 1997, which attracts a term of life imprisonment. However, during sentencing, the court deviated from life imprisonment and sentenced her to 20 years' imprisonment. 'In deviating, the court considered that the accused chose to plead guilty. The court also accepted that the accused had been a victim of physical and sexual abuse. The fact that the accused had been in custody for three years and that she required medication to treat some of her conditions also led to the court's deviation. 'The NPA welcomes the sentence handed down. This case underscores the NPA's commitment to ensuring that justice is served, particularly in cases involving crimes against the most vulnerable members of our society, children. We remain resolute in our duty to uphold the rule of law,' Ramkisson-Kara said. Breaking news at your fingertips… Follow Caxton Network News on Facebook and join our WhatsApp channel. Nuus wat saakmaak. Volg Caxton Netwerk-nuus op Facebook en sluit aan by ons WhatsApp-kanaal. Read original story on At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!
The Citizen
16-05-2025
- The Citizen
Durban mother gets 20 years for killing daughter after rage outburst
A mother pleaded guilty to murdering her three-year-old daughter, citing emotional trauma and a history of violence. A mother from Durban has been sentenced to 20 years in prison for the murder of her three-year-old daughter, following a history of abuse and anger management issues. The Durban High Court sentenced the 35-year-old woman after she pleaded guilty to assault with intent to do grievous bodily harm and the murder of her daughter in May 2022. On 31 May 2022, the mother of three had taken her youngest child, who suffers from glaucoma, to the clinic as he was unwell. At the time, her children were aged nine years, three years, and one year. Mother sentenced to 20 years for daughter's murder When the mother returned from the clinic, she attempted to feed her youngest child, a son, but he began to cry and refused to eat. She made food for her middle daughter after that, but she also rejected it and began to cry. 'The accused said that she got angry and frustrated and hit the deceased with a rolling pin all over her body as well as on her head,' National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) regional spokesperson Natasha Ramkisson-Kara said. The children continued to wail, and the situation became worse when the three-year-old soiled herself. ALSO READ: Vereeniging man appears in court for alleged murder of mother and brother The mother took the middle child to the bathroom to clean her up, but she continued crying, along with the youngest child. In a fit of rage, the mother hit the three-year-old as she washed her. 'She eventually strangled the deceased. The accused said that her older child tried to stop her, but she was so enraged that she continued to attack the deceased,' Ramkisson-Kara said. When the mother finally realised the child had stopped breathing, she panicked, dressed the child in clothes, and wrapped her in a blanket. She called her husband to inform him of her actions; he called a doctor, and then the police arrived at the scene. History of abuse and violence In her plea, the mother told the court that she had endured a difficult childhood, witnessing violence and being subjected to it herself. She said that at 17, someone raped her, and this traumatic experience drove her to attempt suicide. The mother said when the deceased was born in 2019, she claimed to be homeless and living in a shelter. 'She said that she met a woman on social media who offered to foster the deceased for her, and she agreed. The deceased went on to stay with the foster mother for three years,' Ramkisson-Kara said. ALSO READ: Father and son shot dead, mother wounded in KZN attack The accused wed the father of her youngest child during this period. To form a family, her husband, who lives in the United Kingdom (UK), urged her to bring the three-year-old back home. She brought the deceased back to her house. However, her husband had to return to the UK because his South African visa had expired, and he left her alone with the children. Woman would beat daughters in bouts of anger 'She said that she would often beat the two girls during her bouts of anger and throw things at them,' Ramkisson-Kara added. In court, the state, represented by Adv. Kelvin Singh, submitted victim impact statements, which were compiled by the foster mother and the eldest daughter. The foster mother said she had taken care of the middle child from when she was three weeks old until a month and a half before she was murdered. 'The woman said that she is heartbroken and that the incident has adversely affected her. Further, she mentioned that she would have taken the deceased back if the accused had told her that she was not coping,' Ramkisson-Kara said. ALSO READ: Nigel mother avoids life sentence after poisoning her children The eldest daughter said she misses her sister a lot and she experiences nightmares due to what happened, and she is afraid to sleep. 20 years imprisonment In sentencing, the court deviated from a life sentence and sentenced her to 20 years' imprisonment as the mother pleaded guilty. 'The court also accepted that the accused had been a victim of physical and sexual abuse. The fact that the accused had been in custody for three years and that she required medication to treat some of her conditions also led to the court's deviation,' Ramkisson-Kara said. The NPA welcomed the sentence and said the case underscored its commitment to ensuring that justice is served, particularly in cases against children.
IOL News
16-05-2025
- IOL News
Durban mother who killed her toddler daughter with a rolling pin jailed for 20 years
IOL The Durban High Court has jailed a 35-year-old woman to 20 years for killing her three-year-old daughter in May 2022. The woman pleaded guilty. A Durban mother who killed her toddler daughter three years ago has been sentenced to an effective 20 years in jail. The 35-year-old woman pleaded guilty in the Durban High Court. In a Section 112 Plea, the woman pleaded guilty to charges of murder and assault with intent to do grievous bodily harm. According to the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) in KwaZulu-Natal, in her plea, the accused said that she had a difficult childhood and had witnessed and been subjected to violence. "She said that she was raped at the age of 17 and this traumatic experience had caused her to attempt suicide," said NPA spokesperson Natasha Ramkisson-Kara. "The accused said that she was destitute and staying in a shelter in 2019 when the deceased was born." In her plea, the accused explained that she met a woman on social media who offered to foster her daughter (the deceased) for her, to which she agreed. She said the toddler stayed with the foster mother for three years. "During this time, the accused married the father of her youngest child. This man, who resides in the United Kingdom(UK), then encouraged her to bring the deceased back to live with them so that they could be a family. The deceased was thus brought back to her home. The woman had three children, aged 9, three (the deceased), and a one-year-old. "However, her husband had to return to the UK because his South African VISA had expired. He left her alone with the three children (her older daughter, the deceased, and her youngest child). "She said that she would often beat the two girls during her bouts of anger and throw things at them." Speaking about events leading up to the murder, the accused in her plea said on May 31, 2022, she had taken her youngest child, who suffers from glaucoma, to the clinic as he was unwell. "When she returned from the clinic, she tried feeding her youngest child, but he refused to eat and started crying. "She then prepared food for the deceased, but she too refused the food and started crying. The accused said that she got angry and frustrated and hit the deceased with a rolling pin all over her body as well as on her head." The accused said that the children continued to cry, and the situation was worsened by the deceased soiling herself. She said both children would not stop crying. "The accused said that she was very angry and hit the deceased as she washed her. She eventually strangled the deceased. The accused said that her older child tried to stop her, but she was so enraged that she continued to attack the deceased. When she eventually realised that the child had stopped breathing, she panicked. She dressed the child and wrapped her in a blanket. Thereafter, she phoned her husband to tell him what she had done. He contacted a doctor, and the police were called to the scene." In a victim impact statement, the foster mother said that she had taken care of the deceased since she was three weeks old until a month and a half before she was murdered. "The woman said that she is heartbroken and that the incident has adversely affected her. Further, she mentioned that she would have taken the deceased back if the accused had told her that she was not coping." The NPA said that in deviating, the court considered that the accused chose to plead guilty. "The court also accepted that the accused had been a victim of physical and sexual abuse. The fact that the accused had been in custody for three years and that she required medication to treat some of her conditions also led to the court's deviation." IOL News
The Citizen
08-05-2025
- The Citizen
Man sentenced to life for repeated rape of teen in KZN
The court ordred that the man's name be entered into the National Register for Sex Offenders. A 46-year-old man has been sentenced to life imprisonment for the repeated rape of a teenage girl in KwaZulu-Natal (KZN). The man appeared in the Pinetown Regional Court on Wednesday, where the sentence was handed down. The incidents occurred between February 2023 and January 2024 in the KwaDabeka area. Court proceedings In court, State Prosecutor Lethuxolo Nene led the testimony of the 14-year-old girl as well as her granny, who was the first to report the rapes. The doctor who examined the teen also testified about her injuries. Nene also handed in a Victim Impact Statement compiled by the girl facilitated by Court Preparation Officer Bonisile Mngoma. ALSO READ: Man sentenced to four life terms for raping four young boys In her statement, the teen said she felt like she was 'robbed of her childhood' and had to relocate to another area as she no longer felt safe in her area. 'Ridiculed' The teen also said that she was 'ridiculed and teased' about what had happened to her. National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) spokesperson Natasha Ramkisson-Kara the convicted rapist was sentenced to life imprisonment for rape and was declared unfit to possess a firearm. 'In addition, the court deemed him unfit to work with children and ordered that his name be entered into the National Register for Sex Offenders.' Victim known Ramkisson-Kara said the man knew his victim as he rented her grandmother's property. 'The accused would rape the complainant when he called her to his room to assist with chores. The matter eventually came to light after the granny noticed a change in the complainant's behaviour. She asked the complainant what was wrong and was told about what the accused was doing. 'The granny, together with the other tenants, confronted the accused, and he was arrested. The complainant was taken to the Chatsworth Thuthuzela Care Centre (TCC) for the necessary assistance,' Natasha Ramkisson-Kara said. Ramkisson-Kara said the NPA remains committed to fighting the 'scourge of gender-based violence, and we hope that sentences of this nature demonstrate our commitment.' ALSO READ: EFF demands justice for alleged rape of little Cwecwe in Matatiele
