Pretoria: On 18 February 2016, the Pretoria High Court sentenced Albert Mile Tau on two counts of rape to life imprisonment on each count; life imprisonment for murder; 15 years for attempted murder; 12 years for rape; 3 years for kidnapping and 1 year for compelling a person to witness a sexual offence.
The accused was arrested on 8 August 2014, on charges of murder, kidnapping and rape. The charges of murder and of rape were committed in Hammanskraal within the jurisdiction area of Pretoria High Court whilst the complainant in Temba Cas 839/01/2013, who was present and witnessed the aforementioned offences, was kidnapped and taken from the jurisdiction area of this court into the jurisdiction area of the North West High Court, where she was raped and nearly murdered. The NDPP authorised centralisation of the matter hence the accused was prosecuted in the Pretoria High Court for offences committed in the North West area of jurisdiction.
The complainant referred to in count 1 of the indictment was on her way home from work with a colleague when the accused stopped his motor vehicle next to them and offered them a ride home. The accused dropped the complainant’s colleague at home and drove further with the complainant under the guise that he was going to drop her at home. Along the way, the accused drove to a secluded area in a veldt. The accused tore the complainant’s trousers off her and had sexual intercourse with her without her consent. The accused pointed her with an object that she thought was a firearm. The complainant ran away when the accused alighted from the motor vehicle to relieve himself. Her handbag with its contents was left in the back of the motor vehicle. Subsequent to the arrest of the accused, he approached the mother of the complainant on more than one occasion to convince her to have the charge(s) withdrawn against him. He offered to pay her R10 000 (ten thousand rand) and ultimately did pay her said money. The matter was withdrawn.
The deceased referred to in count 2 of the indictment and the complainant referred to in count 4 of the indictment, were friends. During the evening of 20 January 2013 they were together at a tavern with the accused. The deceased had introduced the accused to the complainant referred to in count 4, as her boyfriend. After enjoying themselves, the accused said that they must leave and go to another tavern. They left in the accused’ motor vehicle. The accused drove with them to a secluded area in a veldt. The accused invited the deceased to alight with him from the motor vehicle to talk. He locked the complainant referred to in count 4 of the indictment in the motor vehicle.
The accused hit the deceased with an open hand on her face where after he retrieved a jack from the boot of the motor vehicle. He hit the deceased on the head with the jack more than once after which she fell to the ground. The accused raped the deceased. They, thereafter, both stood up and the deceased hit the accused with a beer bottle in his face. The accused again hit the deceased with the jack on her forehead. She bled profusely and fell to the ground. The accused proceeded to drive over the deceased with his motor vehicle three times.
Advocate J. Cronje led witnesses and presented DNA evidence which linked the accused to the offences.
The NPA welcomes the sentence and the DPP North Gauteng, Advocate Sibongile Mzinyathi commends the investigation and the prosecution team for their hard work and dedication in ensuring that justice is served.
