Rapist handed down seven life sentences

The Mpumalanga division of the High Court in Mbombela handed a hefty sentence this week for a rapist who raped seven women in a space of six years.

The court heard how Bongani Mthandazo Msimango a 36-year-old man, “made the lives of defenceless women difficult by terrorising them thinking that he will get away with it,” Brigadier Leonard Hlathi said.

Reported cases started in June 2013 targeting elderly women.

“On 02 August 2013, he shamelessly preyed on a 78-year-old pensioner in Tonga where he viciously assaulted her, tied her hands and robbed her of her personal belongings before brutally raping her.

“Again in Tonga, on 22 November 2013, he took advantage of an 83-year-old elderly woman where he reportedly raped her.”

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His next victim was a third elderly woman, aged 70, before robbing her of her personal items including money in 2014. The following year he assaulted a 35-year-old woman, robbed her of her personal belongings and raped her as well.

Hlathi says from 2015 his victims ranged from age 66 to 15 years old, police finally caught him in 2019.

“A team of dedicated investigators worked tirelessly to ensure that the suspect behind these rape cases is removed from the streets and put behind bars. They (police) then casted all their nets for the suspect and on 05 December 2019, a breakthrough was made where they arrested Msimango in Tonga. All his bail attempts were unsuccessful until his trial.”

Sentencing as follows:

• On the seven counts of rape, he was sentenced to life imprisonment for each count.
• The two counts of robbery, he was sentenced to three years imprisonment for each count.
• The two counts of assault with intent to inflict grievous bodily harm, he was sentenced to three years imprisonment for each count.

The acting high court judge Jansen van Rensburg has ordered that all sentences run concurrently with the life sentences.

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