Serial rapist gets 30 years in Polokwane court
A 28-year-old man has been sentenced to 30 years in prison by the Polokwane High Court for raping three teenage girls in the Seshego area.
A 28-year-old Freddy Moraka Modibedi has been sentenced to 30 years for the 2022 rape of three teenage girls in the Seshego area. The sentence was handed down by the Polokwane High Court on Tuesday (August 26).
The court heard that in separate incidents, Modibedi threatened the girls with a knife, robbed them, and then raped them.
Limpopo police spokesperson, Colonel Malesela Ledwaba, says the incidents were reported to the police in Seshego and Matlala. The dockets were transferred to the Seshego Family Violence, Child Protection, and Sexual Offences Unit. Sergeant Nation Teffo was tasked to further investigate the cases.
“Modibedi was arrested after being on the run for almost a year. He was positively linked to the cases.”
He appeared at the Seshego and Matlala Magistrate Courts and was remanded in custody.
The cases were later transferred to the Polokwane High Court, where he was convicted and sentenced to 30 years’ imprisonment as follows:
- Count 1: Kidnapping – sentenced to 6 years’ imprisonment.
- Count 2: Rape – sentenced to 30 years’ imprisonment.
- Count 3: Robbery – sentenced to 13 years’ imprisonment.
- Count 4: Kidnapping – sentenced to 6 years’ imprisonment.
- Count 5: Rape – sentenced to 30 years’ imprisonment.
- Count 7: Kidnapping – sentenced to 6 years’ imprisonment.
- Count 8: Rape – sentenced to 30 years’ imprisonment.
The court ordered that the sentences in counts 1, 3, 4, 5, 7, and 8 shall run concurrently with the sentence of thirty (30) years’ imprisonment in count 2. The accused was therefore sentenced to an effective sentence of 30 years’ imprisonment.
It was further ordered that five of the thirty years’ imprisonment shall be suspended for a period of five years, on condition that he is not convicted of any offence in contravention of the Criminal Law (Sexual Offences and Related Matters) Amendment Act 32 of 2007 committed during the period of suspension.
Provincial police commissioner Lieutenant General Thembi Hadebe has welcomed the hefty sentence and expressed appreciation to the investigating officer, along with all those involved in ensuring justice for the victims and their families.
