A man found guilty of raping his girlfriend at a New Year’s Eve rave five years ago is expected back in the Western Cape High Court on Monday for the start of sentencing proceedings.

Sharisha Chauhan died on New Year’s Day in 2013 after being admitted to Paarl Mediclinic for a suspected drug overdose.

In September, her boyfriend Taariq Phillips was acquitted of her murder and convicted of raping her.

Chauhan, Phillips (both 21 at the time) and several of their friends had attended a rave at Le Bac Estate in Paarl.

The State alleged that the group had taken drugs and went dancing that night, whereafter Chauhan started feeling ill.

The court heard during the trial that Chauhan started feeling unwell and said that she felt like she was “melting”. Phillips took her back to their tent and said they had sex.

Later, paramedics were called because she was convulsing. She was treated on the scene and taken to hospital where she later died.

According to the post-mortem, she died of strangulation. A toxicology report found no drugs in her system.

She had also suffered vaginal and anal injuries.

Phillips is out on R5 000 bail.

(Source: News24)