Kabeya Kalonji: Face of rapist jailed for preying on vulnerable Sheffield woman
A Sheffield rapist is beginning a prison sentence after a jury saw through his denials.
34-year-old Kabeya Kalonji pleaded not guilty to raping the woman, but jurors rejected his account to find him guilty of rape at a Sheffield Crown Court trial which concluded earlier this month.
Today (Monday, December 22, 2025), Kalonji, formerly of Gervase Avenue, Lowedges, Sheffield, was brought back before the court to be sentenced.
Jailing him for six years, Judge Charles Thomas told Kalonji: “There’s a significant amount of vulnerability on the part of [the complainant].
“You would have been aware to the extent of some sort of difficulty on her part.”
The court heard how at the time of the attack, the complainant was being treated for conditions including post-traumatic stress disorder; emotionally unstable personality disorder and paranoid psychosis.
In her statement to the court, the complainant said she continues to be plagued by the impact of Kalonji’s abuse, years after the attack took place.
“I’ve been in a constant state of anxiety, and on edge about what might happen if I leave the safety of my address.”
“My mental health has also declined over this period,” said the complainant - who is entitled to lifelong anonymity.
She also described a number of other ways the trauma of the ordeal, and court process, has affected her everyday life, including feeling too anxious to answer unexpected calls.
In mitigation, Dermot Hughes, representing Kalonji, described him as a man with “his own personal difficulties.”
Turning to Judge Thomas, Mr Hughes continued: “As Your Honour knows from trial, he had to flee from Congo fearing that threats would be carried out against his family.”
Mr Hughes told the court that in the years that have followed the attack, Kalonji’s life has moved on, with him entering into a relationship and becoming a dad.
Describing the conditions Kalonji has experienced since being remanded into custody after the guilty trial verdict, Mr Hughes continued: “He has no finances to speak of and so telephone contact is nigh on impossible.”
As he sent Kalonji to begin his prison sentence, Judge Thomas said he must serve at least two-thirds of the six-year term behind bars.
Kalonji was also told he must remain on the sex offenders’ register indefinitely.
Judge Thomas also granted a restraining order, prohibiting Kalonji from contacting the complainant for 10 years.