Three rapists were finally sentenced to life imprisonment in East London on Thursday this week, 15 years after their crime on 4 July 2010 when they went on a raping spree and raped five women.
One of the five women victims and four witnesses have since died after testifying during the long, drawn-out court case.
Recounting the incident the SAPS says the police said three men forced entry into a house at Ngcobo farm at Stutterheim, outside Qonce, at about 11 pm. They demanded money from a 40 year-old woman, who was with her 13 year-old daughter and a boyfriend.
After not getting any money, the three intruders started taking turns in raping them. Then three more women from Umgidi arrived at the house and the men raped them as well.
The driver of a combi, who had brought the three women to the house, and who was waiting outside, came to check what was keeping his three women passengers. He was met with gunshots.
The driver returned fire and the suspects then fled with the victim’s cel phones. The driver was slightly injured.
All the suspects were unknown 15 years ago, at the time of the raping spree, but lengthy and persistent investigations yielded positive results and eventually two cell phones and a firearm were recovered.
The sterling work and persistence by the Investigating Officer, Detective Sergeant Melikhaya Kula, was hailed as a huge success in this case and the fight against gender-based violence by the BCM District Commander, Major General Wright.
After all lengthy court delays and the long time period, the accused wanted charges dropped as they were tired of waiting, and had been in prison a long time . But the Senior Public Prosecutor declined to withdraw the case.
The East London Regional Court sentenced the following three suspects to life imprisonment and individually for the following crimes:
- Sivuyile Mbondela, 41, for rape and 30 years for aggravated robbery;
- Sisanele Hletyiwe, 36, to life imprisonment for four counts of rape, five years’ house break-ins, 15 years for aggravated robbery; and
- Tanduxolo Khedama, 47, for three counts of rape, five years for house-break-ins, 15 years for aggravated robbery and 15 years for possession of unlicensed fire arms and ammunition.
The sentences will run concurrently. All the accused are declared unfit to possess firearms and have been included in the sex offenders’ register.
Photo: SAPS: SAPS Detective Sergeant Melikhaya Kula, who kept up investigations in the horrific rape case
St Francis Chronicle 