The Provincial Commissioner of the police in Mpumalanga, Lieutenant General Mondli Zuma praised the Investigating Team for the commitment and sterling work they have put in ensuring that another menace is removed from society and sent to where he belongs.
His praises comes after a 24 year old man was handed a thirty year prison sentence by the Eerstehoek Magistrates’ Court at Elukwatini early this month, for raping three women around the Tjakastad area, near Badplaas.
The accused, Nhlanhla Surprise Mabuza’s reign of terror was first realized in June 2013. Mabuza who was only 20 years old at the time, preyed on a 33 year old woman who was on her way to fetch her children from their baby sitter, at about 20:30.
The accused manhandled the victim, overpowered and raped her. At that time, she could not recognize him as he was wearing balaclava. After her ordeal, a similar rape incident took place at another section within the area, in which a 16 year old girl who was sent to a nearby tuck shop was accosted by an unknown man and forcefully taken to a secluded spot where he raped her.
Another incident took place two years later, in August 2015, in which two women who were sleeping in their shared room were accosted, robbed of cash and one of them raped.
During sentencing, the Magistrate praised the Investigating Team for being able to synergistically knit all evidence and positively linked the accused through blood samples and an assiduous investigation.
He also thanked the victims for standing firm against their attacker by providing vital evidence that helped the court to pin down the villain, hence the meted sentence.
General Zuma believes that this sentence will serve as a deterrent to other potential offenders.
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