A serial rapist from Malungane village in Namakgale, Limpopo has been convicted and sentenced to an effective 20-year prison term.
Lucky Kgahledi Raphela, 44, appeared in the Polokwane High Court on Monday on four counts of rape.
Mashudu Malabi-Dzhangi, spokesperson for the National Prosecuting Authority in Limpopo, said the accused pleaded guilty to all counts.
In his plea agreement, Raphela said he offered lifts to hitchhiking women on a public road in Phalaborwa between January 16 2018 and November 7 2021.
“He would then drive near the bushes and threaten them with a knife before raping them,” said Malabi-Dzhangi.
“The victims are not known to each other, and the accused was linked to the offences through DNA.
“The court has sentenced the accused to 10 years for count one of rape, 10 years for count two of rape, 10 years for count three of rape, and 10 years for count four of rape.
“The court ordered that the sentence for count two run concurrently with the sentence for count one, and the sentence for count four run concurrently with that for count three.
“The effective period of imprisonment that the accused should serve is, therefore, 20 years of direct imprisonment.”
In aggravation of the sentence, state advocate Muneiwa Ratshibvumo said the accused has a previous conviction of escaping from lawful custody, noting that this is evidence that he is a danger to society.
“She [Ratshibvumo] further submitted that the victims are women who needed to be protected against the conduct of men who behave in a barbaric manner.
“She concluded by saying these offences are prevalent and the victims suffered emotional and undue mental stress due to the accused’s conduct,” said Malabi-Dzhangi.