Cape Town - Five years after his conviction for the rape and murder of UCT student Uyinene “Nene” Mrwetyana, Luyanda Botha has returned to court as he now faces an attempted rape charge dating back to 2014.
The former Post Office employee was arrested in 2019 after he raped and killed the 19-year-old student at the Clareinch Post Office in Claremont in August that year.
After his arrest, it came to light that Botha remained employed by the Post Office despite having previous criminal convictions.
A probe by the Department of Communications and Digital Technologies at the time found that the State Security Agency flagged 300 SA Post Office employees, of which 174, including Botha, had criminal records.
National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) spokesperson Eric Ntabazalila said Botha now faced fresh charges linked to the attempted rape of a 21-year-old nursing student in 2014.
He said the charge was reinstated after Botha was sentenced for Mrwetyana’s rape and murder.
“He is charged with the attempted rape of a 21-year-old woman at a nursing college in Athlone in June 2014.
“The State alleges that Botha, who is serving life imprisonment for the rape and brutal murder of Uyinene Mrwetyana, visited a woman at the institution but found the victim, who was taking a bath at the time.
“He attempted to rape her but she fought him off. He was later arrested.
“The State has finished the testimony of the complainant and will continue with the testimony of a witness when the case returns to court on June 7, 2024,” said Ntabazalila.
Mrwetyana was raped twice, her body hidden inside the safe of the post office and later dumped and doused with an accelerant before being set alight.
Botha pleaded guilty to two charges of rape and murder for which he was sentenced to three life sentences.
zolani.sinxo@inl.co.za