The Democratic Alliance (DA) in Limpopo welcomes the life sentence handed down on Aubrey Manaka by the Polokwane High Court this morning.
Manaka was found guilty of breaking into the off-campus residence of Precious Ramabulana, a 21-year-old student, by stabbing her 90 times in November 2019. Manaka then proceeded to rape his victim.
Even though Manaka pleaded guilty and asked the court for mercy, the court sentenced him to a life behind bars for his heinous crimes.
For the province of Limpopo, which is a hotspot for crimes against women and children, this sentencing restores hope and sends a strong message to perpetrators of these crimes.
During 2019/2020 Limpopo recorded 8 519 cases of crimes against women and during the period January to March 2021 alone, 1 016 sexual offences were reported and 1 050 sexual offences were detected as a result of police action.
We have no place in our communities for criminals, they should rot in jail. Our women and children deserve to roam the streets freely without any fear of being attacked.
While this sentencing will not bring Precious back, we hope that it will bring some closure to her family.
As the DA, we will continue our fight to protect the most vulnerable and make them feel safe.