UPDATE
The Provincial Commissioner, Lt GenMondli Zuma, welcomed the harsh sentences imposed on two rapists on Tuesday, 4 April.
Sipho Nkosi (29) was sentenced in the Secunda Regional Court on 13 counts of rape, three of kidnapping, armed robbery, theft and common assault.
The Regional Court Magistrate did not hesitate to sent Nkosi packing to 12 life sentences for 12 counts of rape, 10 years for another rape, 21 years for three counts of kidnapping, three years for robbery, one year for theft and six months for assault.
The convict was also declared unfit to possess a firearm and his particulars will be registered on the list of sex offenders.
Nkosi’s reign of terror in eMbalenhle, with one incident taking place in Delmas,- began in 2011 and ended with his arrest in June 2014.
His modus operandi was to prey on teenagers and women between the ages of 13 and 36, during which he raped and sometimes kidnap, assault and rob them.
In September 2011, Nkosi kidnapped a 22-year-old woman from the Free State who had just arrived that evening in eMbalenhle to visit her male friend.
The woman was walking alone near an open field when he raped and robbed her of her cell phone.
The following year, June 2012, Nkosi forcefully grabbed a 20-year-old woman on the township’s main road who was on her way to the mall.
He dragged her to a bridge and raped her.
In March 2014, Nkosi was again roaming the streets of eMbalenhle and this time his victim was a 36-year-old woman who was walking alone at night on her way home.
He dragged her to an open field, raped and robbed her of her cell phone.
She managed to free herself and went to the police station to report the incident.
Nkosi was arrested on the scene, got bail and while on bail, two months later in May 2014, he raped a 22-year-old woman under a bridge.
The following month, June 2014, Nkosi grabbed a 13-year-old teenager in broad daylight in eMbalenhle while she was visiting her friend and took her to his home where he raped her.
Nkosi was arrested two days later, ending his reign of terror.
Evidence collected through the years, the persistence and commitment of the investigating team saw the police present a strong case to the court, hence the sentencing.
In a separate incident, on 29 March 2017, another rapist, Manqoba Nduduzo Mathebula aged 28, was granted two life sentences on two counts of rape as well as 44 years jail sentence on housebreaking and theft by the Nelspruit Regional Court.
The court heard that Mathebula targeted elderly women and teenagers who stayed alone and raped them during 2012 and 2013.
In one of the incidents, he repeatedly broke into a house of a 76-year-old elderly woman and raped her.
He also used the same modus operandi where he raped a 26-year-old woman.
The police management believes that these sentences will serve as a strong deterrent to other potential serial rapists.
“Fighting crime against women and children is one of the priorities of the SAPS and no crime against these vulnerable community members will go unpunished,” declared the provincial commissioner.
ORIGINAL ARTICLE, 3 APRIL
During January this year, convicted serial rapist Sipho Nkosi has been found guilty by the Secunda Regional Court on 13 counts of rape, three of kidnapping, assault as well as two counts of armed robbery.
Nkosi, who has been in custody throughout his trial, is scheduled to appear again at the same court on 4 April for sentencing.
Nkosi’s reign of terror in Embalenhle, and one incident taking place in Delmas, began in 2011 and ended with his arrest in June 2014.
His modus operandi was to prey on teenagers and women between the ages of 13 and 36 during which he would rape and sometimes kidnap, assault and rob them.
In September 2011, Nkosi kidnapped a 22-year-old woman from the Free State who had just arrived that evening in eMbalenhle to visit her male friend.
The woman was walking alone near an open field when he raped and robbed her of her cell phone.
In June 2012, Nkosi forcefully grabbed a 20-year-old woman on the township’s main road. She was on her way to the mall. He dragged her to a bridge where he raped her.
In March 2014, Nkosi was again roaming the streets of eMbalenhle and this time his victim was a 36-year-old woman who was walking alone at night on her way home.
He dragged her to an open field and raped and robbed her of her cell phone. She managed to free herself and went to the police station to report the incident. Nkosi was arrested on the scene.
He got bail and while out on bail, he raped a 22-year-old woman under a bridge two months later in May 2014.
The following month, Nkosi grabbed a 13-year-old teenager in broad daylight in eMbalenhle while she was visiting a friend and took her to his home where he raped her. Nkosi was arrested two days later. That ended his reign of terror.
Nkosi’s DNA results linked him to the Delmas 2011 and 2012 cases, while the other cases were linked to him through modus operandi.
Evidence collected through the years and the persistence and commitment of the investigating team, saw the police present a strong case to the court, hence the conviction.
The management of the police is confident that this serial rapist like others before him, will be given a lengthy prison sentence to languish in jail. “We are confident in our justice system. Nkosi is going to rot in jail. I commend the hard work done by the police. This conviction shows that we have skilled and loyal police officers who are dedicated to protecting our women and children. No crime against these vulnerable community members will go unpunished,” declared the Provincial Commissioner, Lt Gen Mondli Zuma.
