British female motorcyclist stays in Bolivia for a year to see the machete gang who raped and left her for dead put behind bars for total of 42 years

  • Vasilisa Komarova, 37, was raped, robbed and abandoned by a lagoon in Bolivia
  • Was brutally attacked by three men who held machetes to her neck and chest 
  • The Russian-born biker who moved to London at 20 was on solo motorcycle tour
  • After surviving the attack, Ms Komarova refused to leave South America for a year as she fought to bring her attackers to justice

A British female biker who was raped by a machete-wielding gang in Bolivia stayed in the country for a year to see them jailed.

Motorcyclist Vasilisa Komarova was left for dead by three men who dragged her from her tent, beat her and held blades against her chest and stomach.

The 37-year-old was raped, robbed and abandoned by a lagoon in Bolivia, where she was on a solo motorcycle tour. 

Motorcyclist Vasilisa Komarova was left for dead by a gang of machete-wielding men who raped and robbed her

Motorcyclist Vasilisa Komarova was left for dead by a gang of machete-wielding men who raped and robbed her

The 37-year-old was dragged from her tent and abandoned by a lagoon in Bolivia, where she was on a solo motorcycle tour

The 37-year-old was dragged from her tent and abandoned by a lagoon in Bolivia, where she was on a solo motorcycle tour

Rapist Jose Gongora (pictured) received 25 years in prison for rape and 10 years for armed robbery, to run concurrently 
He didn't look at his victim when he was sentenced last month

Rapist Jose Gongora (pictured) received 25 years in prison for rape and 10 years for armed robbery, to run concurrently 

After surviving the attack, Ms Komarova refused to leave South America for a year as she fought to bring her attackers to justice.  

Last month she came face to face with Jose Gongora, 26, Yery Yumacale, 24, and Fabio Bazan, 30 as they were jailed for a total of 42 years.

Ms Komarova gained British citizenship after moving from Moscow to London when she was 20.

She faced resistance from the Bolivian justice system but won invaluable help from the British Consulate.

Ms Komarova refused to leave South America for a year as she fought to bring her attackers to justice
She was raped while the brutes held metre-long machetes to her chest and stomach

Ms Komarova refused to leave South America for a year as she fought to bring her attackers to justice

The Russian-born biker gained British citizenship after moving from Moscow to London when she was 20

The Russian-born biker gained British citizenship after moving from Moscow to London when she was 20

Attacker Yery Yumacale (pictured) smiled in court before his sentence of ten years behind bars

Attacker Yery Yumacale (pictured) smiled in court before his sentence of ten years behind bars

She told the Sunday Mirror: 'Because of these men, I know how it feels to be raped, I know how it feels to think you're not going to see the sun rise again.

'I was advised to leave Bolivia as nobody thought I'd win my case. But I had to keep fighting. I couldn't live knowing I'd survived but done nothing to stop it happening again.'

She said her attackers laughed in court and wouldn't look into her eyes. 

Last month she came face to face with her attackers - Jose Gongora, 26, Yery Yumacale, 24, and Fabio Bazan, 30 - as they were jailed for a total of 42 years

Last month she came face to face with her attackers - Jose Gongora, 26, Yery Yumacale, 24, and Fabio Bazan, 30 - as they were jailed for a total of 42 years

She revealed the three men laughed in court and refused to look her in the eyes as they were sentenced

She revealed the three men laughed in court and refused to look her in the eyes as they were sentenced

Ms Komarova was attacked last June, 14 months after setting off to ride from Chile to Alaska on a Honda Tornado 250.

She covered 6,000 miles riding through Patagonia and Argentina before crossing into Bolivia.

She had safety rules she would stick to - like camping in areas where there were no people. 

Ms Komarova was attacked last June, 14 months after setting off to ride from Chile to Alaska on a Honda Tornado 250 motorcycle

Ms Komarova was attacked last June, 14 months after setting off to ride from Chile to Alaska on a Honda Tornado 250 motorcycle

As she slept in her tent the men started shaking it and telling her to 'come out and party, we're looking for a b**** to have fun with'. Pictured: Ms Komarova (centre) with friends

As she slept in her tent the men started shaking it and telling her to 'come out and party, we're looking for a b**** to have fun with'. Pictured: Ms Komarova (centre) with friends

A local family she stayed with in Santa Rosa, northern Bolivia, suggested she should camp at a lagoon in remote Rurrenabaque.

As she slept in her tent the men started shaking it and telling her to 'come out and party, we're looking for a b**** to have fun with'.

They dragged her out of her tent and held metre-long machetes against her chest and neck. 

Her attackers dragged her out of her tent and held metre-long machetes against her chest and stomach

Her attackers dragged her out of her tent and held metre-long machetes against her chest and stomach

The trio were convicted at San Borja court following a two-day trial.

Gongora got 25 years for rape and 10 years for armed robbery, to run concurrently.

Yumacale received 10 years for aiding the rape and eight for robbery. 

Bazan got seven-and-a-half years for aiding the rape.

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