Rapist gets three life sentences
Zimbabwean national, John Zhou (26), was last week sentenced to three life sentences and 15 years for the rape of three women, and robbery
LIMPOPO – The victims were raped on three different days and the modus operandi was the same, the Seshego Regional Court heard.
The accused used to target victims at the Polokwane bus terminal and surrounding areas, threatening them with a knife. The court heard that on 29 January 2015, the accused raped the first victim inside the toilet and robbed her of her cell phone and R20.
He then moved her to the bridge area where he raped her a second time, before taking her to an abandoned building a few kilometres away where he tied her up and gagged her with her dress to prevent her from raising alarm.
After the woman managed to free herself after three hours, she ran to the nearest main road, Nelson Mandela Drive, where a passerby spotted her and took her to the Westenburg police station to report the crime.
Count two was committed on 14 February last year when a victim was approached by two men, both of whom raped her at the same bridge where the crime against the first woman was committed.
A police helicopter patrolling the area spotted the goings-on, whereupon Zhou and his accomplice fled the scene. The police accompanied her to the police station where she opened a case.
Shortly afterwards, the third victim, a Zimbabwean woman, was on her way to Burgersfort when she asked Zhou directions to the Burgersfort taxi rank.
The accused volunteered to accompany her, but took her captive during the process, raping her and fleeing the scene. The woman, after her ordeal, asked for directions to a police station, where she opened a case.
Zhou was unknown by all the victims, but DNA results linked him to the offences.
He was arrested on 3 March after going to the state hospital to seek help after another suspected victim injured his private parts. This case is, however, still pending. On the date of trial, the accused pleaded guilty to the charges and was convicted as charged.
The state prosecutor, Cate Chauke, led the evidence of the complainants in aggravation and called for life imprisonment since there were no substantial and compelling circumstances present in favour of the accused.
