Justice was served in the South Gauteng High Court on Wednesday, 29 January when a gang of nine men were sentenced to 39 life terms and 918 years in prison between them.
The men, Thomas Tivane, Makamu Mapeddje, Alex Mabuya, Boavida Chilengue, Gito Maguele, Jordan Bila, Antonio Timbe, George Mabunda and Jeremia Sithole terrorised women of the Tshepisong community between 2015 and 2016.
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Acording to a statement by Brigadier Mathapelo Peters, the men would take their victims to an open field where they would gang-rape, assault and rob them. Sadly one victim did not survive the brutal attack.
The men were found guilty on more than 50 counts of violent crimes that included rape, murder, robbery and kidnapping.
While investigating these cases, detective Captain Thomas Bvuma from the Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences (FCS) Unit in Krugersdorp picked up on resemblances in a number of cases.
He was able to get hold of 13 victims from nine different cases, and together with Crime Intelligence they could identify nine men as possible suspects.
DNA evidence forensically linked the men to the crimes, and some of the victims’ belongings were also found in the suspects’ possessions, all of this ensuring their conviction.
Captain Bvuma said this was one of the most challenging cases he had to investigate, especially because all the suspects were undocumented foreign nationals.
“Cooperation by the victims, whom I now see as brave survivors, as well as the police’s efficient forensic technologies, made this complex investigation seem easy. I would also not have succeeded without the support and guidance of my colleagues and commanders, as well as the community who boosted the survivors with moral support,” Bvuma explained.
Photos: Supplied.
“The calibre of investigators like detective Captain Bvuma is what the police need to assist us in our mission to restore public confidence and instill hope in victims, particularly victims of gender-based violence,” Gauteng Provincial Commissioner, Lieutenant General Elias Mawela added.
Mawela reminded others that Bvuma was one of two members who received the special National Commissioner’s Award last year in recognition of their commitment, hard work and achievements relating to the successful convictions and long-term sentences of serial rapists in the past.
