The Pietermaritzburg High Court sentenced 37-year-old Sanele Siyabonga Sotobe Sibiya to 123 years behind bars on Wednesday for a long list of offences which include housebreaking, theft, rape, attempted rape and attempted murder.
Natasha Ramkisoon-Kara, the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) KZN Region spokesperson said Sibiya committed the string of offences in the Southport area of Port Shepstone, between March 2021 and February 2022.
The attacks happened when the victims were either at or on their way to work, while he was armed with a firearm. He took the victims’ cellphones, and in the housebreaking counts he stole wallets, cash, laptops and luggage cases while victims were sleeping. He was arrested after he dopped his cellphone at one of the crime scenes and was traced that way, said Ramkisoon-Kara.
In court, State advocate Dan Magwaza read the victim impact statements which was compiled by some of the victims and facilitated by Court Preparation Officer Khanya Mkhize. The victims expressed how they were traumatised and living in fear because of Sibiya.
“While Sibiya was collectively sentenced to 123 years’ imprisonment, he will serve an effective sentence of 35 years, as some of the sentences were ordered to run concurrently. The court ordered that he should only be eligible for parole after serving 20 years of his sentence,” Ramkisoon-Kara said.