Cape Town - A former student at the Western Cape College of Nursing in Athlone has taken the stand against convicted killer Luyanda Botha in the Wynberg Regional Court to reveal what happened on the night he allegedly tried to rape a fellow student.
Five years after being convicted for the rape and murder of UCT student Uyinene Mrwetyana, Botha is back in court as he now faces an attempted rape charge dating back to 2014.
The Post Office employee was caught in 2019 for killing the 19-yearold student at the Clareinch Post Office in Claremont in August that year.
The indictment further stated that Mrwetyana was raped twice, her body hidden inside the safe of the post office, and then later dumped and doused with an accelerant before being set alight.
Botha pleaded guilty to two charges of rape and murder and was subsequently sentenced to three life sentences by the Western Cape High Court.
He returned to the Wynberg Regional Court before Magistrate Anthea Ramos, where he now faces a charge of attempted rape of the 21-year-old nursing student in 2014.
Former student Siphamandla Zibekile testified that on the night of the incident, he was walking with a friend named Abongile after a visit to a shop.
He said that as they were passing the residence of the victim, they heard a scream and saw her running towards them.
The victim had a white towel wrapped around her body and told them that someone held her hostage in the shower. National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) spokesperson Eric Ntabazalila said the victim told them the person wanted to rape her.
“They went to look for the person but couldn’t find him,” Ntabazalila said. “They then went to the security office to look at CCTV footage.
“Security could see him entering the residence but could not see him leaving. He also confirmed that she was in shock. The witness did not personally see the person,” said Ntabazalila.
The case was postponed to June 14 where the State will call two more witnesses including a woman who Botha claims was his girlfriend.
Cape Argus