Pretoria - The High Court in North West has sentenced 37-year-old Mosimanegape “Maleven” Moleta to life imprisonment for murder and an additional three life terms for three counts of rape.
Judge Tebogo Djadje further sentenced Moleta to three years on each of the two counts of housebreaking, 15 years for robbery, five years for pointing a firearm, five years for sexual violation, three years on each of the two counts of possession of illegal firearms, and two years in jail for possession of ammunition.
Spokesperson for the National Prosecuting Authority in the North West, Henry Mamothame, said Moleta will however serve one life term in prison as the court ordered that the sentences run concurrently.
“Moleta’s conviction is in relation to a series of criminal activities that started on 26 April 2012 at Phatsima village in Molopo District, where he broke into a house with the intent to commit a crime. Upon entering he found Goitseone Ramakepe and proceeded to rape her before choking her to death,” said Mamothame.
On August 18, 2012, Moleta broke into a house in Phatsima village and found an elderly woman who has a mental disability. He raped her and fled the scene.
“His conviction also relates to an incident that occurred on 3 March 2016 in Phatsima village, where he broke into a home of an adult female. He pushed her into the toilet while wielding his gun and ordered her to undress. He then ordered her to stay naked and subsequently raped her. Before fleeing the scene, Moleta robbed the victim of an amount of R40,” said Mamothame.
“Following a tip-off from an informer, police went to Moleta’s house in Mocoseng village on October 18, 2017, and they discovered two unlicensed firearms as well as ammunition. These were then taken to a forensic laboratory and the results linked Moleta to the murder and the three rapes that the court convicted him of.”
In aggravation of sentence, advocate Florence Rasakanya argued that Moleta “had no respect for women and that his offences deserved nothing less than life imprisonment”.
Acting director of public prosecutions in the North West, Dr Rachel Makhari-Sekhaolelo, welcomed the conviction and commended Rasakanya and advocate McDonald Ndimande for the successful prosecution.
IOL