On 24 October 2017, Madadeni High Court convicted and sentenced Thobani Elvis Mthethwa, 28, for five counts of rape that he committed in the Mondlo area.
In 2014 and 2015, Mthethwa accosted victims, aged between 15 and 55, at their homes and raped them, threatening them with a knife and a firearm.
The accused targeted homesteads with only women where he would break into the homes and rape them at gunpoint.
Four of the victims were threatened with a firearm whilst the other was threatened with a knife. A 15 year old victim was seven months pregnant during the ordeal.
Cases of rape were opened at Mondlo police station and transferred to Vryheid Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences Unit for investigation. The accused was linked through DNA results and was positively identified by the victims during an identification parade.
He pleaded guilty to all counts and was sentenced to 25 years imprisonment for each rape. The sentences will run concurrently.
South Africa Today – South Africa News
