A high court in the South African capital of Pretoria has jailed a serial rapist and robber to on 988 years in prison.
The National Prosecutor reported that Sello Abram Maponya bagged 988 years and 5 life terms; with the judge ruling further that sentences were not to run concurrently.
The court in its Thursday May 27 judgment convicted the 33-year-old for 41 rapes and 40 separate house breakings and house robberies, as well as assault.
Judge Papi Mosopa sentenced the convict to 1,088 years in prison, after he was found guilty of 41 rapes, 40 counts of robbery with aggravating circumstances, and 40 counts of housebreaking.
His crimes spanned a five year period from 2014 till 2019 when he was arrested by operatives of the special crimes investigations unit.
Court records indicated that the five Tshwane suburbs that suffered from his criminal activities were Nellmapius, Mamelodi, Silverton, Olievenhoutbosch and Atteridgeville.
Mapunya committed the crime while he lived with his girlfriend, eight-year-old son and four-year-old daughter in Pretoria.
Local news outlets reported that his youngest victim was 14. She was attacked while walking home with a friend in Olievenhoutbosch. His eldest victim was 55.
Mosopa said none of the sentences would run concurrently. He sentenced Mapunya to life terms for raping his teenage victim and three other women who he raped multiple times.
Condemning “evil” to an eternity behind bars, Mosopa said Mapunya was “hell bent” on infringing on society’s most vulnerable and their right to dignity and security. “He failed to show any remorse,” said Mosopa.
Thuleleni Mtsweni, one of his victims said of the outcome: “It was the worst experience of my life, but that is now over. Today is a victory, not just for those of us who survived the terror this man unleashed, but for all women out there who are victims of similar crimes.
“We, as survivors, fought for our voices to be heard. We fought for the voices of all women to be heard. We stood here in court and have now watched the man who tortured us go down. He went down because of our bravery to speak out,” she stressed.
The court has ordered that his name must be recorded in the National Register for Sexual Offenders.
Judge Masopa said he wanted to send a strong message to other would-be perpetrators with the sentence.#RapeASeriousViolationOfWomen#NoToleranceForGBV pic.twitter.com/FwOvsZGJ50— NPASouthAfrica (@NPA_Prosecutes) May 27, 2021
Source: www.ghanaweb.com
