SECUNDA – Bheki Khumalo (35) from eMbalenhle was sentenced to life imprisonment for rape at the Secunda Regional Court on Monday, 7 April.
He faced 28 charges of rape, 21 of kidnapping, six charges of robbery and a charge of attempted rape and murder.
Khumalo committed these crimes in eMbalenhle, Evander and Kinross between 2003 and 2010.
Some of the charges were withdrawn because the witnesses relocated and investigating officers could not find them.
Magistrate Victor Ball also sentenced Khumalo to 10 years for kidnapping and 15 years for robbery.
Col Leonard Hlathi, spokesman for the Mpumalanga Police, said forensic tests played a major role in Khumalo’s arrest.
The tests results suggested that there was a serial rapist operating in the area.
The findings were confirmed through the DNA profiles on many rape cases and a list of the cases involved was sourced and all the necessary dockets were obtained for proper analysis.
“Upon perusal of the dockets that originated from various stations in the area, it was apparent that the modus operandi was similar and a conclusion was drawn that there were common identification features of the perpetrator.”
Col Hlathi said they were compelled to compile an identikit with the help of the victims.
The members of the Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences Unit (FCS) in Secunda, devoted more time and worked tirelessly on this matter.
Khumalo was arrested on January 2011.
