Johannesburg – A man who went on a rape spree while he was out on parole has been handed three life sentences and an additional 154 years behind bars.
Collen Fakude, of Mpumalanga, not only raped his victims but in some instances forced their boyfriends to watch.
In one incident, Fakude forced the victim’s young brother to watch as he raped his sister.
According to Colonel Donald Mdhluli of the Mpumalanga police, Fakude’s first known incident as a serial rapist was in 2017 when he attacked a woman waiting for a taxi with her boyfriend at Ramalema, near Bushbuckridge.
He threatened them with a firearm and then forced his victims to move to the nearby bushes, where he raped her while her boyfriend watched. When he was done, he took their belongings and fled.
In February 2018, Fakude preyed on a victim who was driving between Bushbuckridge and Graskop.
“Whilst still on her way, she saw a half-naked lady on the roadside near Injaka Dam in Bushbuckridge.
“She then stopped to assist her. Whilst still trying to understand what was going on, (Fakude) suddenly appeared and pointed a firearm at her, and forced her to drive to the nearby bushes and raped her.
“Fakude then robbed her of all her belongings and fled the scene.”
Two months later, Fakude attacked a woman with her brother. He held them hostage at Gardee junction, next to Injaka Dam, where he forced the pair into the nearby bushes and raped the woman in front of her brother.
Like his other victims, Fakude ended the attack by robbing them of their belongings before fleeing the scene.
Six months later, in October, Fakude attacked a woman who was with her boyfriend at Hlamalani Trust in Bushbuckridge.
Pointing a firearm at them, he forced the couple to drive to the nearest bushes and raped the victim in front of her boyfriend.
Mdluli said their investigations led to the arrest of Fakude in September 2019.
He said they realised Fakude was sentenced to 27 years in prison in 2003 by the Mhala Regional Court for rape, robbery and possession of an unlicensed firearm.
"It became clear to the team of investigators that Fakude had become a serial rapist.
“The investigation team dug into Faduke's background and established that he was paroled in 2013 and this was when he got the opportunity to commit these crimes.
“The investigation team brought enough evidence in court which proved that Fakude was the one who targeted the victims despite the fact that some were in the company of other males.”
Handing down sentence at the Mpumalanga Division of the High Court in Mbombela last week, the judge stated that as Fakude’s parole had been revoked, he would have to complete part of his 27 years sentence which would end in 2029.
After completing that sentence, he would start his 154 years and three life sentences.
Mpumalanga police management praised the “team spirit and dedication displayed by the astute investigating members, the prosecution as well as the judiciary in ensuring that justice is served for the victims who suffered from the man's barbaric acts”.
IOL