Man handed eight life sentences for robbery, rape and kidnapping

Sipho Samson Masombuka, 35, received eight life sentences plus 553 years imprisonment on Thursday, 23 January by the High Court Division of Mpumalanga in Delmas after being found guilty on 70 counts including rape, robbery with aggravating circumstances, kidnapping and the pointing of a firearm.

The 35-year-old committed the crimes between 2008 and 2018 in the areas of Kwaggafontein, Siyabuswa, Dennilton and the surrounding areas.

Masombuka would allegedly attack his victims on the streets, robbed them of their belongings, including cellphones, and often kidnapped them with a firearm in his possession.

He would also break into the homes of his victims while they were asleep and take their belongings before raping them.

A number of cases were opened by the victims as Masombuka was linked through DNA leading to his arrest by police and was found guilty of the charges levelled against him in court.

The provincial commissioner of police in Mpumalanga, Lieutenant General Mondli Zuma, welcomed the sentence, praising the investigation team under the Family Violence Child Protection and Sexual Offences (FCS) Unit in Kwamhlanga.

He also applauded the prosecuting authority and the judiciary for their excellent work in ensuring that justice triumphed.

“Words cannot really express my appreciation to the outstanding work done by the investigation team which led to the subsequent conviction and sentencing of the accused,” said Zuma.

“This is an indication that SAPS is determined and committed to decisively deal with those rotten elements that commit gender-based violence. I believe that the sentence will serve as a deterrence to the would-be rapists.

“The sentencing of this perpetrator of rape crimes has once again proven that the FCS Unit, as one of the structures that has been put in place to address gender-based violence, is making strides in working towards the goal of ensuring that women in our society are and feel safe,” he concluded.

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