The Tzaneen Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences Unit (FCS) secured another life term imprisonment imposed by the Lenyenye Regional court on 13 October 2022 to a 39-year-old accused who was convicted for kidnapping and rape of a 13-year-old girl in Lenyenye location under Maake policing area.
On Sunday 22 September 2019, Lucas Madala Mokhubidu who was 36-years-old at the time of the incident allegedly kidnapped a 13-year-old girl and locked her up inside his room.
Afterwards, the convict repeatedly raped the victim the whole night and later released her the next morning at about 05:00 on Monday 23 October 2019.
The minor went home and informed her grandmother about the ordeal who immediately reported the incident at Maake police station. A case of kidnapping and rape was opened and later transferred to Tzaneen FCS unit for further investigations.
Detective Sergeant Sharon Mavhungu was assigned to investigate the matter and through her dedication and hard work, the suspect was apprehended after a week of the incident on 2 October 2019.
Sergeant Mavhungu managed to oppose bail and the suspect remained in police custody after she left no stone unturned with the investigations until his sentencing on Thursday 13 October 2022.
The convict was handed 10 years imprisonment for kidnapping and one life-term imprisonment for rape of a minor girl.
The Provincial Commissioner of Limpopo Lieutenant General Thembi Hadebe has welcomed the sentence and said it would serve as a deterrence to other perpetrators of Gender Based Violence and Femicide (GBVF).
