THE Thohoyandou high court sentenced Lutendo Madume from Tshilwavhusiku, outside Makhado to life imprisonment on Friday for murdering his girlfriend last year.
The court heard that Madume (26) kidnapped his girlfriend, Shetani Tuwani (20), from her home and locked her in his house.
His mother reported the incident to the police, who on arrival heard the victim screaming. They were forced to break the door down, only to find the victim dead. She had knife wounds all over her body.
Madume was sentenced to two years for kidnapping and received a life sentence for murder.
Meanwhile, the Ritavi magistrate’s court sentenced Shadrack Mabunda (40) to life imprisonment for raping a three-year-old female toddler from Letsitele two years ago.
The court heard that the victim’s mother arrived at her home from work to find her daughter missing. Searching for the child, she found her in the company of Mabunda near her house. Mabunda ran away when he saw her.
The mother suspected something was wrong after the child complained of pain. The toddler was taken to Letaba Hospital were the rape was confirmed.
Mabunda was traced and arrested a day later. He remained in custody until his conviction.
In a separate case, Thabiso Freddy Senyolo (20) was sentenced to a total of 30 years’ imprisonment after the Naphuno regional court found him guilty on two charges of rape after he raped two girls, aged 15 and 19, at knifepoint in August last year.
Provincial police commissioner, Lt Genl Fannie Masemola, said the police were constantly directing police resources towards not only arrest the perpetrators of crime, but also to secure convictions.
“The convictions in these cases indicate that our investments are yielding the desired results. I am immensely proud of the men and women in blue for securing these sentences,” Masemola said.
Masemola emphasised that gender-based and domestic violence not only affected the most vulnerable people in society, but could also contribute to the mentality that violence was an acceptable and valid means of self-assertion.
He stressed that the victim-orientated police service was an important part of the overall criminal justice response to crimes against vulnerable groups in society.
“This approach will encourage more victims to report incidents of crime and ultimately contribute to build the public’s confidence and trust in the police,” he said.
