Pretoria - The Regional Court in Mahwelereng, outside Mokopane has handed convicted rapist, 30-year-old Selekenyane Tumelo Marakala, a life sentence.
The court heard that on Sunday, June 9, 2019, Marakala from Moshate, Maroteng village met the victim, a 19-year-old woman from Ga-Madiba who was on her way home from a tavern just before midnight.
“He grabbed the victim from the back and took her to his house and raped the victim over the night. The accused (Marakala) covered his face with a balaclava. He strangled the victim and he voluntarily let the victim to go in the following morning,” Limpopo police spokesperson, Colonel Malesela Ledwaba said.
“The accused took off the balaclava and introduced himself to the victim as a member of a dangerous gang called "Boko Haram", and threatened her not to report him. Ultimately the victim went to the police station to report the incident,” he said.
Marakala was arrested “within a short space of time” on June 12, 2019 by the police’s Family Violence Child Protection and Sexual Offences Unit.
He was remanded in custody since 2019, until the final appearance in the trial.
“The case was successfully investigated and the conviction was secured by Sergeant Ramolokwane Leshaba,” said Ledwaba.
Meanwhile, provincial commissioner of police in Limpopo, Lieutenant General Thembi Hadebe has “gladly” welcomed the conviction and subsequent sentencing.
In another matter, the High Court in Mpumalanga has convicted and sentenced 35-year-old Philani Justice Nkosi of Bhuga Trust to four life terms and 15 years imprisonment, for three counts of rape, one count of murder and one count of robbery with aggravating circumstances.
National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) Mpumalanga spokesperson, Monica Nyuswa said Nkosi committed the heinous offences from 2014 to 2018, in areas of Bhuga Trust and Halfway Trust, in KaBokweni.
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