Three rapists slapped with 20 years, life imprisonment for separate rape incidents in Limpopo

LIMPOPO –  The Mankweng and Mokopane Regional Courts have last week slapped three men with long jail terms between 20 years and life imprisonment for separate incidents of rapes and serious and violent crimes.

According to a statement issued by , Police Spokesperson, Col Moatshe Ngeope, the Regional Court in Mankweng outside Polokwane has handed down long jail terms to two men, aged 25 and 34, for separate incidents of criminal activities.

Stanley Bethuel Monyepao (34) was sentenced to life imprisonment for rape, a further five years imprisonment for attempted murder and twelve months imprisonment for theft. His sentencing comes after he attacked and raped a 28-year-old woman on 8 August 2018, Ngoepe said.

“One the day in question Monyepao had arrived at the victim’s house in Ga-Dikgale village in the Sebayeng Policing area outside Polokwane and requested money. When she failed to assist him with money, he threatened her, dragged her to an old dwelling, assaulted her, stabbed her in the face using a knife and raped her,” Ngoepe explained.

Still in the Mankweng Regional Court, Nkgopo Alfred Modipane (25), was sentenced to 20 years imprisonment for two counts of rapes committed in 2017 and 2018.

Read more: Man (26) from Mankweng sentenced to 40 years imprisonment for rape

In 2017, the accused came attacked two ladies in Ga-Mothapo village in the Nobody area under the Mankweng Policing area. He three stones at them and when they ran away and he chased them, grabbed one of them, dragged her to the nearby bushes and raped her, Ngoepe said.

“In a separate incident, Modipane threatened a victim with a pick handle and dragged her to his room where he assaulted and raped her.”

Meanwhile, the Mokopane Regional Court has sentenced Comfort Kgobe (23) to life imprisonment for the rape of an eight-year-old girl on 22 September 2018, in a village outside Mokopane.

“The accused who is a friend of the victim’s aunt, took the young girl to his house but when the due took too long the relatives became suspicious and went looking for them. They arrived at his house to be met by the sight of a shaken girl who told them that she was raped by her aunt’s friend. The police were immediately notified and Kgobe was tracked down and arrested a day after the incident.”

Read more: Man (68) arrested for raping a six-year-old girl in Maake outside Tzaneen

The Acting Provincial Commissioner of the South African Police Service in Limpopo Major General Jan Scheepers commended the tireless work done by members of the South African Police Service Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences ( FCS) Unit, who continue to acquire heavy jail terms for those who perpetrate the sexual offences acts in Limpopo.