The High Court in Mpumalanga, sitting in Middelburg, has convicted and sentenced 24-year-old rapist, Xolani Sebothoma, from Dennilton, to three life terms and an additional 65 years imprisonment after convicting him for multiple counts of rapes.
The horrendous rape incidents were committed in Nkangala district during the period July 2019 to February 2020, according to Mpumalanga spokesperson for the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) spokesperson, Monica Nyuswa.
Sebothoma pleaded guilty to the charges and was subsequently convicted on four counts of rape, assault, housebreaking and robbery with aggravating circumstances.
“On July 1, 2019, one complainant was walking with her friends in the vicinity of Moteti, in Dennilton when confronted by the accused who told them that they are making noise. The complainant's friends ran away and the accused grabbed the victim and dragged her to an empty RDP house and raped her,” said Nyuswa.
On the very same day, another complainant alighted from a bus and went to the hitch-hiking spot. While she was waiting, Sebothoma emerged and asked for R15 from the complainant.
“He then dragged the victim to the back of the shade, assaulted her and raped her more than once. He then fled the scene with the complainant's cellphone and money,” said Nyuswa.
“Again, on 16 September, 2019, the accused broke into a complainant's house. He assaulted her, raped her and robbed her of her cellphone and sneakers.”
On September 11, 2020, Sebothoma entered a house in Moteti and found a woman who was sleeping with her boyfriend.
“He produced a firearm, dragged the complainant to the living room and raped her more than once. He then fled the house with the victim's cellphones,” said Nyuswa.
The molested woman reported her ordeal to the police and she was able to identify Sebothoma. Subsequently, the rapist was arrested.
“Buccal swabs were taken and linked him to other crimes,” according to the NPA.
During trial, senior State advocate Themba Lusenga submitted to the court that the crime of rape is a repulsive invasion of private and intimate zones of a woman, and strikes at the core of her humanity and dignity.
Lusenga further told the court that the Sebothoma did not show remorse, and further requested the court to impose the prescribed minimum sentence on the rapist.
Victim impact statements compiled by Sebothoma’s different victims, facilitated by court preparation officer Betty Masango detailed the women’s pain and suffering caused by the rape.
“Judge Kgankie Phahlamohlako found no substantial and compelling circumstances to deviate from the prescribed minimum sentence. He sentenced the accused to three life terms and 65 years imprisonment,” said Nyuswa.
She added that the NPA will continue to pursue justice for victims of gender-based violence.
“We applaud the work done by the prosecution and other stakeholders in securing the conviction,” said Nyuswa.
In April, IOL reported that the Mkhondo Regional Court in Mpumalanga had sentenced Petrus Daniel Swart, 51, to an effective term of 10 years imprisonment for raping his domestic worker in 2014.
The rape incident happened at a farm in Piet Retief.
“On March 5, 2014, the victim was busy doing chores in the Swart family household and the accused (Petrus Daniel Swart’s) wife was away taking their children to school. The accused suddenly grabbed the victim from behind and wrestled her to the ground,” said Nyuswa.
The domestic worker attempted to resist Swart’s actions, but she was overpowered.
IOL