DNA links lead to 25-year jail term for EC rapist who targeted two women

An Eastern Cape man who raped two women in separate incidents has been handed 25 years in jail after DNA evidence linked him to the cases. Ayanda Sotyato, 31, was arrested on September 16 2024 for both incidents. When Sotyato appeared in the Dutywa magistrate’s court, the investigating officer successfully opposed his bail application.

The matter was later transferred to the Butterworth regional court. On Monday, he was convicted on both counts of rape. The first incident took place on October 30 2022 when a 41-year-old D woman was raped by an unknown man while walking home.

The victim, who was walking from a local tavern during the early hours of the morning when the incident happened, opened a rape case. “At the time, the suspect was unknown and the case was later closed as undetected,” police spokesperson Colonel Mawisa said. In a separate incident on December 7 2022, a 46-year-old woman was attacked and raped while she was in open fields searching for traditional herbs.

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Sotyato, who was armed with a bush knife, assaulted the victim before raping her. The matter was reported to police and a case was opened for investigation.

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