A man from Epworth who has been identified as Big Sipiliano has been sentenced to 11 months in prison for sexually abusing a corpse at a funeral in his neighbourhood.
Sipiliano was convicted for violating the corpse’s rights and indecent assault after he grabbed one of the female mourners from behind for trying to pull him away from the dead body.
In sentencing him, magistrate Isheunesu Matova ruled that Sipiliano had degraded the constitutional rights of the dead body.
“It is weird for a person to go on top of the corpse and do sexual movements. The court is aware of the constitutional rights of dead bodies. The matter could be worse if he removed his manhood,” said Matova.
On the first count of violating the rights of the corpse, Matova sentenced Sipiliano to six months imprisonment.
The sentence was, however, wholly suspended on the condition that he performs 210 hours of community service at Epworth Police Station.
On the second count of indecent assault, Sipiliano was sentenced to five months imprisonment and two months were suspended on the condition that he does not commit a similar offence in the next five years.
Three months were further suspended on the condition he performs 105 hours of community service at the same police station.
The magistrate noted that Sipiliano was a family man and he would give him a chance to look after his family although his moral blameworthiness was high.
Sipiliano had denied the allegations, saying he only went on top of the corpse but did not sexually abuse it.
