Long confinement awaits two who kidnap, rape

The Limpopo High Court on Friday handed down a hefty sentence to three men convicted of being involved in the rape and robbing of two women hitchhiking through the city in 2017.
According to Mienkie Ramakgoakgoa of the Provincial Police Communications Centre, Mathews Matsobane Kgobe (32) and Phuti James Matlamela (33) were found guilty on charges of rape, kidnapping and robbery while John Mogata Letsoalo (38) was found guilty on a charge of possession of stolen property.
The sentencing follows an incident on 15 May 2017 when two women were hitchhiking to Mankweng from a spot in Grobler Street and were picked up by two men in a Volkswagen Golf Velocity.
Two accomplices were also waiting at the hitch hiking spot and all got into the vehicle, according to Ramakgoakgoa.
She added that the driver then drove in the direction of Flora Park when one the suspects produced a firearm. They continued driving towards a secluded area adjacent to the N1 where the women were robbed of their handbags, cell phones and cash. Two of the suspects left the vehicle with the women’s bank cards to withdraw money from their accounts while the remaining two proceeded to rape their passengers.
The victims were later dropped in a bushy area outside Westenburg from where they started seeking assistance and managed to report the incident to the Police.
The suspects were arrested during an operation that followed shortly after the incident.
Matlamela and Kgobe (32) were each sentenced to life imprisonment for rape, 15 years for robbery and five years for kidnapping. Letsoalo was sentenced to two years imprisonment, suspended for three years, on a charge of possession of stolen property. The fourth accused later turned state witness, according to Ramakgokgoa.
Provincial Police Commissioner Nneke Ledwaba welcomed the sentencing and applauded the investigating officers on a job well done.

Story: RC Myburgh
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