Two rapists sentenced for multiple counts of rape
Court was adjourned after he assaulted a police officer during a session after the court ordered the police to bring him in after refusing to cooperate.
The Nelspruit High Court sentenced Malibongwe Jele (22) and Tshepo Maseko (21) for multiple counts of rape and robbery with aggravating circumstances last Friday.
All the crimes were committed in KaBokweni between September 2012 to September 2013 next to Ngodini High School.
The pair targeted women walking on the streets in the evening, threatened them with a firearm, robbed them of their belongings and raped them. They were unknown to the victims until Jele was arrested after being linked with one count via DNA. It automatically linked him with other counts of rapes which were reported in the area.
According to the NPA, during the trial, Jele refused to plead to the charges, as a result, the court had to enter a plea of not guilty.
“The accused did not make any admissions in terms of Section 220 of the Criminal Procedure Act, however, Advocate Ntsika Mpolweni led to evidence of all witnesses that were involved in these cases. Evidence of the police officers as well as DNA. After the pair was convicted, the state further led evidence of victim impact report,” said provincial NPA spokesperson Monica Nyuswa.
The court found both Jele and Maseko guilty as charged. Jele was sentenced to 82 years direct imprisonment for four counts of rape and five counts of robbery with aggravating circumstances. Maseko was sentenced to 18 years direct imprisonment for one count of rape and one count of robbery with aggravating circumstances.
