Thembisa Serial rapist handed seven life sentences

A serial rapist who showed no remorse for the pain and suffering he inflicted on his victims has been handed seven life sentences by the Gauteng High Court in Johannesburg.

Simon Jabulani Khanyile was found guilty and sentenced on Wednesday for a string of rapes and other crimes in Tembisa between January and March 2016.

According to the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), Khanyile was convicted on 19 counts including:

Rape

Sexual grooming

Kidnapping

Robbery with aggravating circumstances

Unlawful possession of firearm and ammunition

NPA spokesperson Phindi Mjonondwane said the court heard that Khanyile broke into victims’ homes, held them against their will, robbed them of their belongings and thereafter raped them at gunpoint.

“Two of the women were raped in the presence of their partners and their relationships never survived the ordeal,” Mjonondwane said.

In addition to the seven life sentences, Khanyile was also sentenced to 45 years behind bars. The sentences will run concurrently.

State prosecutor Gertrude Market said what was appalling about Khanyile’s atrocious acts was that he invaded the women’s privacy in their places of comfort and violated them in the presence of their loved ones.

Mjonondwane said the court found that Khanyile showed no mercy when committing the offences and had shown no remorse for the pain and suffering inflicted on the victims during the trial.

Judge Ratha Mokgoatlheng said the only suitable sentence was to remove Khanyile from society for a long time.

Director of Public Prosecutions in the Gauteng Local Division advocate Andrew Chauke commended the investigating officer Sergeant Maela and Market for delivering justice for the victims.

For more news your way, download The Citizen’s app for iOS and Android.