Durban — The Durban High Court has convicted the taxi driver who had been on trial for the murder and rape of a 17-year-old who was beaten, stabbed and gagged.

On Wednesday, Judge Bruce Bedderson found Samkelo Victus Dube guilty of killing and raping Sibahle Faith Biyela and brutally assaulting his neighbour Thandiwe Shange.

“One accepts that there’s no onus on the accused to prove his innocence, if one looks at the facts of the matter his version is false beyond a reasonable doubt. The objective facts demonstrate that the only inference one can draw from these facts is that he raped and murdered the deceased in his home,” said Bedderson.

On the evening of Sunday 4 October 2020 Biyela, Shange, and Dube were socialising together at Dube’s residence where he allegedly had made repeated sexual advances towards Sibahle who rejected these.

It’s alleged that Biyela and Shange left the accused’s place just after midnight and as they were walking home, the accused ran up to them accusing the deceased of having stolen his cellphone.

An argument allegedly ensued between the accused and Shange, he began assaulting Shange and stabbed her in the forehead with a screwdriver.

During the trial, Dube who is 33 took the stand and told the court how he had covered Biyela’s body with the blanket he had been sleeping with and that he knew Biyela as they were in high school at the same time.

“He chased a young 17-year-old who was frightened. He carried her to his place where he carried out this heinous act. Medical evidence shows that he brutally assaulted her and further that she was raped anally. The court is satisfied that the State proved its case against the accused beyond a reasonable doubt.

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