Tebogo Msimanga |
The Bafokeng Regional Court in Tlhabane sentenced a 30-year-old serial rapist to two life sentences and additional 28 years imprisonment. The sentences emanated from three separate incidents wherein victims were raped and robbed of their cell phones and clothes.
In the first incident, a 15-year-old girl was with her boyfriend and walking to a nearby shop at Pitso Section in Phokeng outside Rustenburg at about 20:00 on Tuesday, 5 January 2021, when approached by the convict.
Lieutenant Colonel Amanda Funani of North West Police said the accused chased and forced the boyfriend to leave by throwing stones at him. “The girl was consequently taken to the nearby bushes and raped. On her way back home after escaping, the girl met her boyfriend and her aunt who took her to Phokeng police station to lay charges of rape and common robbery”.
Funani added that in the second incident at about 19:00 on Wednesday, 13 January 2021, a 22-year-old woman was from her aunt’s place at Kotokoto Section, Phokeng and going back to her residential place at Lenatong Section when the convict approached her and volunteered to accompany her as he was also going to the same area.
“They were walking and about to cross the bridge when the accused grabbed and dragged the woman to the nearby bushes and raped her. He then robbed her of her cell phone and clothes before fleeing from the scene. The matter was reported to the police for investigation”.
Colonel Funani further said the man was arrested and eventually identified by the 15-year-old victim whom he raped on Tuesday, 5 January 2021.
“The accused was finally sentenced to two life terms for two counts of rape. He was further handed 20 years imprisonment for another rape and four years for each of two counts of common robbery”.
North West Police Commissioner Lieutenant General Sello Kwena welcomed this sentence.
