The Provincial Commissioner of North West, Lieutenant General Sello Kwena welcomed two life and 49 years imprisonment sentences handed down to two accused on Thursday, 18 June 2020 for separate cases of rape reported in Taung and Phokeng police stations.
In the first sentence, the Taung Regional Court sentenced a 25-year-old accused to two life imprisonments for two counts of rape. That was after the accused raped two minors aged nine and eleven on Saturday, 6 January 2018 at approximately 14:30 in Maphoitsile village near Taung.
It was reported to the police that the victims were on their way home from a family cultural ceremony when they met with the accused. The latter took the pair to the veld where he raped them. The matter was reported to the police and the accused was arrested a few hours later by the Pudimoe Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences (FCS) Unit. He has been in custody since his arrest. The accused has previous convictions of drug trafficking and assault.
In the second sentence in Tlhabane outside Rustenburg, the Regional Court imposed 49 years imprisonment on Dannyboy Johannes Ramela, 48, for three counts of rape. The accused raped three females then aged 21, 23 and 24 between January 2011 and January 2013 in Chaneng village, near Phokeng outside Rustenburg.
As part of the accused’s method of committing these crimes, he would during the night wait for the victims, then threaten them with a knife before taking them into the bushes. The victims would then be assaulted and ultimately raped. Consequent to a thorough investigation by the Rustenburg FCS, the accused was arrested in December 2013 and linked with two other cases through the DNA. The accused who has also been in custody since his apprehension, has previous convictions of crimes such as possession of suspected stolen goods, rape, burglary, robbery and assault. The court sentenced Ramela as follows:
Count 1: rape: 13 years imprisonment
Count 2: rape: 13 years imprisonment
Count 3: rape: 23 years imprisonment
The accused will serve effective 36 year imprisonment as the sentences on count 1 and 2 will run concurrently.
The Provincial Commissioner commended the Investigating Officers, Sergeant Keolebogile Masire and Captain Mokgatlhe Mokgatlhe for their determination to make certain that the accused get maximum sentences. He pointed out that the sentences will indeed send a strong message that the police working together with other role players will continue to work hard to ensure that those who commit crimes against women and children, which is national priority, are arrested and convicted.
South Africa Today – South Africa News
Rape of 3 young girls including a gang rape of a toddler (2)
