Pretoria – A 38-year-old man, Mpho Simon Rafapa has been sentenced to two life sentences after he was convicted for murder and rape by the High Court in Limpopo.
Police spokesperson in Limpopo, Brigadier Motlafela Mojapelo said Rafapa was slapped with an additional five years imprisonment for house-breaking and theft.
“Rafapa was sentenced by the Limpopo Division of the High Court on Friday, June 17, 2022 for cases of house-breaking and theft, rape and murder committed on October 13, 2021 in Sekgakgapeng, Khalanyoni village under Mahwelereng policing precinct,” said Mojapelo.
“The trial court found that the accused and the other suspect broke into his neighbour’s house and entered through the roof, raped a 26-year-old woman and thereafter strangled her with a belt. The suspects then took the victim's cellphone and fled the scene,” he said.
Mojapelo said the slain woman’s body was discovered not long after the incident by another neighbour after the victim’s uncle pleaded with him to check on his niece.
Police were called to the scene, and cases of burglary, murder, rape and theft were opened.
“The investigating officer Sergeant (Prince) Baloyi immediately started with investigations to trace the suspects responsible for these heinous crimes. His tireless efforts paid off when the victim’s neighbour and the other suspect were positively linked to the crimes and arrested within short space of time,” said Mojapelo.
Meanwhile, provincial commissioner of police in Limpopo, Lieutenant General Thembi Hadebe has saluted the investigating officer, Baloyi, and the detectives at Mahwelereng for a thorough probe which has led to Rafapa’s conviction.
“The hefty sentences should give hope to victims of gender- based violence and restore community's confidence in the police that we will always double our efforts to ensure that the perpetrators are apprehended and their incarceration is secured,” said Hadebe.
Earlier this week, police in Limpopo arrested a 34-year-old man for allegedly murdering his ex-girlfriend who was a local educator in Dindela village.
Mojapelo said the teacher was killed on Saturday last week.
The murdered woman has been identified by police as Dudu Masango, who was working at Segolola Secondary School.
“The victim previously laid a charge of rape against her ex-boyfriend last month and (he) was subsequently arrested. He was then released on R500 bail (earlier this month) on June 1, 2022.
“The victim was found dead with multiple stab wounds in the bedroom of her house on Sunday, June 12, 2022. Sexual assault cannot be ruled out,” said Mojapelo.
Police said the murdered woman’s vehicle was found abandoned at Suiwerfontein fields.
IOL