A 35-year-old man from Soweto described as a “merciless rapist” was sentenced to three life terms behind bars.
Bhekizitha Mbatha was sentenced in the Protea Magistrate’s Court on Monday for raping three women in Diepkloof, Soweto.
According to Phindi Mjonondwane, the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), the conviction of Mbatha came after a lengthy trial of 15 witnesses, which included medical doctors, forensic analysts and the actual victims.
In December 2014 Mbatha attacked and raped his first victim, a 14-year-old girl. The teenage girl was with a male friend when the incident happened. He directed them to a field at gunpoint.
“He repeatedly raped her without a condom and, thereafter, demanded money and a cellphone from her friend,” Mjonondwane said.
“The case was opened, and samples were sent to the laboratory for testing. No one was arrested as his identity was unknown.
Four years later, two people who were making their way home from church were attacked by the “merciless rapist” in the early hours of the morning. He took the two to a field and demanded money and their cellphones before raping the woman in the presence of her male friend.
Mbatha did the same thing to two more people he held at gunpoint. He held them at gunpoint and raped the woman before he fled off.
“The robbery male victim knew the accused and later pointed him out to the police on the same day. Upon arrest at his home, money, takkies, a cap and clothes that were robbed from the first victims were recovered. DNA samples were collected from both victims and positively linked to Mbatha. His DNA was also linked to the 2014 matter.”
The prosecutor, Thabo Dease, said if Mbatha was not positively identified he would have still continued with his “reign of terror”. He described Mbatha as a “merciless rapist”, adding that he stripped the victims off their dignity when he raped them in front of their companions.
Mbatha was convicted on three counts of rape, four of robbery with aggravating circumstances, and three of assault with intent to inflict grievous bodily harm. He was sentenced to life behind bars
Source: New24, The South African, image from The South African: Pixabay
