Johannesburg - Sello Mkhomazi has been sentenced in Mpumalanga to 439 years and nine months imprisonment for raping nine women and a 13-year-old girl around KwaMhlanga and Vaalbank between 2009 and 2012.
Mpumalanga Community Safety, Security and Liaison MEC Vusi Shongwe on Thursday said he “welcomed the sentence”.
Another notorious criminal was also slapped with a nearly century-long sentence for rape and other crimes
Douglas Mogakane was setenced to 96 years imprisonment at the Mhala Regional Court on 26 April 2016 on eight counts of kidnapping, eight robberies, two counts of rape and assault with intent to cause grievous bodily harm (GBH).
Shongwe praised the Department of Justice for concluding the cases and making sure that the two culprits are imprisoned.
He thanked the police, under the leadership of Lieutenant General Mondli Zuma, for working tirelessly to get enough evidence to prove their guilt.
“This is one of the milestones we must celebrate as government for making sure that criminals like Mogakane and Mkhomazi face the law. Communities depend on us for their safety; therefore we must always win their trust,” said Shongwe.
“These kind of cases restore the trust of communities in police and also help to strengthen the working relationship between them.
“We must always make sure that people such as Mogakane and Mkhomazi are removed from our communities.”
The MEC also thanked communities for assisting police with information during investigation and encourages them to continue working with police to fight against crime.
“Crime affects everyone; therefore it is not the responsibility of government and police alone but for communities too, that is why we have safety forums in communities where people should participate. The fight against crime can be won with communities’ partnerships,” said Shongwe.
ANA