Two men sentenced to life for murder and gang-rape in Nelspruit

The Bethal Regional Court in Nelspruit, Mpumalanga, has handed out lengthy sentences to four men for murdering a man and gang-raping three women in 2022.

According to Captain Magonseni Nkosi, Sunday Sibiya, Sibusiso Ncamu, Jaja Luphoto and Phumlani Masoka, aged between 20 and 27 years old, stormed a house where they found the four victims on Friday, 17 June 2022.

The four men assaulted the 25-year-old man who, at the time, was visiting his partner.

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“It is reported that the victim attempted to escape, but was stabbed multiple times by the attackers,” said Nkosi.

“His lifeless body was found lying in the pool of blood, next to a petrol station.”

The four men then returned to the house, taking turns raping the three women, aged between 27 and 35 years old.

The incident was reported to the police, and with the aid of a private security company, a manhunt for the perpetrators began.

The next day, on 18 June 2022, the four men were arrested in Emzinoni, near Bethal.

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Four men sentenced

It was revealed in court that one of the rape victims was six months pregnant at the time.

An investigation confirmed the four men’s involvement in the crime, resulting in each receiving lengthy sentences.

“Both Sibiya and Ncamu were sentenced to three life imprisonment each for three counts of rape, 15 years imprisonment each for murder, 15 years imprisonment each for robbery aggravated and four years imprisonment each for attempted murder.

The court also found Lephoto and Masoka, both aged 20, guilty and sentenced them to a combined 20 years each for all the crimes committed.

The court believed that the two might have been influenced due to their ages during the time of the incident.

The Acting Provincial Commissioner of the South African Police Service (SAPS) in Mpumalanga, Major General Zeph Mkhwanazi commended the dedicated members who managed to bring the perpetrators to book within a short space of time.

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The General also applauded the investigation team for presenting crucial evidence that led to the successful conviction.