A 42-year-old man, Ramoadi William Minyuku, was this week sentenced to five life sentences plus 165 years by the Limpopo High Court: Polokwane Division for multiple counts of rape, kidnapping, and housebreaking in the Zebediela area.

Polokwane Review reports the court heard that in November 2014, Minyuku broke into a home and raped a 12-year-old girl. He continued to terrorise the same victim between May and June 2016, repeatedly raping her at an abandoned house after threatening her with a knife.

Minyuku’s crimes continued with the rape of a 17-year-old victim who he met on the street, dragged to a bush, and assaulted with beer bottles before raping her multiple times. The cases were initially reported with an unknown suspect, however, they were transferred to the Provincial Serial and Electronic Crime Investigation Unit in 2024.

The Limpopo police spokesperson, Brigadier Hlulani Mashaba, says Sergeant Mokgaetsi Predict Sema successfully identified and arrested Minyuku using DNA evidence, linking him to the crimes.

“The court imposed 26 separate counts with sentences ranging from five to 15 years, in addition to the five life sentences. Most sentences will run concurrently, making the effective sentence life imprisonment. Minyuku was also declared unfit to possess a firearm,” Mashaba adds.

The provincial police commissioner, Lieutenant General Thembi Hadebe, has welcomed the sentence, applauding the investigating team for their diligent work in ensuring the perpetrator is permanently removed from society.

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