Life sentences for Sekororo rapists

The first convict, Matome David Sekgobela (26) from Lorraine village in Sekororo was sentenced to two life imprisonment for rape and a further 25 years imprisonment for rape and robbery.

He raped three women and robbed one of them a cell phone in three separate incidents between 2012 and 2013 in the Sekororo area.

In the first incident on the 12 June 2012 at about midnight, he found a 19 years old woman walking along in the street. He grabbed and dragged her to the nearby bushes and raped her.

In the second incident which happened two weeks later at about 06:45, he met a 25 years old woman walking home from her boyfriend’s house, he threatened her with a knife before drugging her in to the bushes and raped her.

In the last incident on February 17, 2013 at around 03:00, he took a 32 years old woman from her home to his house and raped her.

The second convict, Khomotso Comfort Shai (21) from Sofaya village in Sekororo was sentenced to life imprisonment for raping a 13 years old girl.

The incident took place on the on January 28, 2014 in the early hours when Shai broke and entered the victim’s parental home and raped her.

The third convict, Matome Steven Mokhubidu (26) from Bismark village also in Sekororo was sentenced to life imprisonment for raping a 19 years old girl on April 27, 2013.

The victim was walking together with her two friends along the street when Mokhubidu threatened to kill her before forcefully taking her to his house where he raped her until the following morning.

The Tzaneen Cluster Police Commander, Brigadier Thomas Shingange and his management team welcomed the life sentences saying it will serve as a deterrent to rapists who are still out there and to would be rapists.

Shigange commended the investigating officers from the Cluster Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences Unit (FCS) for the job well done.