A 31-year-old man has been sentenced to 25 years’ direct imprisonment after being convicted of raping two women in separate incidents in Dutywa, Eastern Cape.
Ayanda Sotyato was sentenced by the Butterworth Regional Court after the court found him guilty on two counts of rape involving women aged 41 and 46. The attacks occurred in 2022.
Eastern Cape police spokesperson Siphokazi Mawisa said both victims were taken to a Thuthuzela Care Centre, where forensic examinations were conducted. DNA evidence later linked Sotyato to the two cases.
“The suspect, Ayanda Sotyato, aged 31, was arrested on 16 September 2024 and charged in connection with both incidents,” Mawisa said.
She added that the accused first appeared in the Dutywa District Court, where the investigating officer successfully opposed his bail application.
“The matter was later transferred to the Butterworth Regional Court. The accused appeared in court on 27 February 2025, and on 2 March 2026 he was convicted on both counts of rape,” Mawisa said.
Following the conviction, the court handed Sotyato a 25-year direct prison sentence for the two rape charges.
Authorities have welcomed the sentence, saying it demonstrates the justice system’s commitment to holding perpetrators of gender-based violence accountable.
