The court found that in November 2016, Sekgobela broke into a house and found a 17-year-old girl sleeping together with her siblings. He threatened them with a knife and raped the 17-year-old in front of her siblings. Seven days later, he broke into another house in the same village and found another 17-year-old girl sleeping. He also threatened her with a knife and raped her.
Two days later, he went to another homestead in the same village and knocked at the door, pretending to be asking for water. He then forcefully entered the house and raped a 14-year-old girl. The cases were assigned to Sgt Glenda Mathebula attached to the Tzaneen Family Violence Child Protection and Sexual Offences Unit (FCS).
Also read: Coach House serial rapist reign ends in terror
After meticulous investigations, the accused was arrested and charged with three counts of rape and one count of housebreaking with intent to commit rape. The sentences handed down are ten years for rape, six years for housebreaking with intent to commit rape, ten years imprisonment for the second rape, and a life sentence for the last rape. The first three sentences will run concurrently with the life sentence.
The provincial commissioner of police in Limpopo Lt Gen Thembi Hadebe has once more welcomed the life sentence that was handed down by the court. “As we continue with the fight against gender-based violence and femicide, sentences like these are most welcome as they strengthen our resolve in the fight to be more determined,” concluded Hadebe.
