Man sentenced to 141 years for rape and robbery in Limpopo
A Limpopo man has been sentenced to 141 years in prison after being found guilty of multiple counts of rape and robbery in the Tzaneen area.
TZANEEN- The Polokwane High Court has sentenced a 31-year-old man to an effective 141 years’ direct imprisonment after he was found guilty of multiple counts of rape and robbery in the Maake area outside Tzaneen.
According to police, the accused, Matome Ruben Modiba, was convicted on several charges relating to incidents that took place over a number of years in the Mopani District.
Police said evidence presented in court showed that in February 2017, a woman was attacked while walking home from Maake Plaza in the early hours of the morning. She was allegedly accosted by an unknown man, who raped her and stole her cellphone.
In a separate incident in November 2022, a teenage girl was walking with friends near a TVET college when she was allegedly dragged into nearby bushes and raped. The matter was reported to Maake police station and assigned to the Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences (FCS) Unit in Tzaneen.
Through investigation, including DNA analysis, the accused was linked to multiple cases and subsequently arrested. He remained in custody after being denied bail.
The court handed down sentences on multiple counts, including rape and robbery with aggravating circumstances, which cumulatively amount to 141 years’ imprisonment.
Police confirmed that the accused was also declared unfit to possess a firearm.
Limpopo provincial police commissioner, Lt Gen Hadebe commended the investigating officer and the FCS Unit for their work in securing the conviction.
