ON Tuesday, the Inkanyezi Regional Court in eShowe handed down 15 years and life imprisonment sentences to Terrence Peter Mei (55) of Melmoth on two counts of rape.
He was also declared unfit to possess a firearm and his name will be included in the register of sexual offenders.
The case arises from the rape of a 15-year-old boy on 1 July 2016.
The accused raped the victim on the couch in the dining room while other members of the family were asleep.
The following day, Mei asked the victim to accompany him to a dam in the Melmoth area.
The victim, who thought the accused wanted to apologise for the previous evening, was raped a second time.
On returning to the house, the victim took his clothes and went to his friend’s house where he spent the night.
The following day the victim told a cousin what had happened and they contacted Richards Bay relatives.
The relatives took him to a private doctor in Richards Bay and the doctor confirmed the rape.
A case was opened and transferred to Melmoth before being handed to the eShowe Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences Unit.
The case was assigned to W/O Makhathini who gathered the evidence and the suspect was arrested.
Mei was granted bail during his trial.
After the sentencing, Mei applied for bail pending his appeal, but the court refused the request.
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