Ventersdorp serial rapist handed two life terms

A 28-year-old serial rapist has been handed two life terms for rape and an additional 293 years for other serious crimes.

Lucky Lehloo appeared in the High Court of South Africa; North West Division sitting at the Klerksdorp Regional Court where the sentence was handed down.

Lehloo was charged with 13 counts of rape, 8 of robbery with aggravating circumstances, 1 of assault to commit grievous bodily harm and 1 of assault.

He pleaded guilty to all the charges.

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Lehloo’s conviction is linked to a series of offences he committed between November 2014 and July 2018 at Tshing in Ventersdorp.

The National Prosecuting Authority’s (NPA) Henry Mamothame said evidence presented in court revealed that seven of the victims were accosted at their homes, where Lehloo broke in and robbed them of their cellphones and money and raped them before fleeing the scene.

“In one house that he broke into, he found three women, robbed them of their cellphones and raped them.  One of the victims was a 73-year-old elderly woman who passed on in January 2020. He attacked five of the victims on the street, threatened them with a knife and dragged them to the bushes, where he raped them and robbed them of their belongings.”

“On one occasion he went to a home where he found a 15-year-old girl and deceived her into believing that her grandmother sent him to do the garden. She then provided him with the garden tools but he later walked into the house and raped her,” Mamothame said.

Mamothame said Lehloo was linked to the crimes through DNA samples.

“In aggravation of sentence, Advocate Riekie Krause urged the court to consider the interests of society as it has the responsibility to impose sentences that would restore the public’s faith in the criminal justice system.”

“Judge Andre Petersen agreed with the state and highlighted the plight of gender-based violence and femicide in the country, and that the courts have a responsibility to advocate against such serious offences,” Mamothame said.

The Director of Public Prosecutions in the North West, Dr Rachel Makhari-Sekhaolelo lauded Advocate Krause and Sergeant Ntombizodwa Bovula for their collaboration towards achieving a successful conviction.

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