PARKTOWN – A gang of nine (9) that terrorised women and the community of Tshepisong in the West Rand between 2015 and 2016, will spend the rest of their lives in prison following a significant sentencing today, 29 January 2020 in the Johannesburg High Court.
Nine accused were found guilty on over 50 counts of serious and violent crimes which include rape, murder, robbery, and kidnapping.
During their reign of terror, the suspects would take the victims to an open veld where they gang raped them, assaulted and robbed the victims of their personal belongings. One victim died after one such incident.
Picking up commonalities across a number of cases, Detective Captain Thomas Bvuma of the Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences (FCS) Unit in Krugersdorp, was able to round up 13 victims from nine cases and with Crime Intelligence on board, identified nine males as possible suspects.
The nine were eventually forensically linked through DNA and were found guilty of the heinous crimes for which they will now spend the rest of their lives in prison. In some instances, the suspects were found in possession of property belonging to the victims.
According to Captain TT Bvuma, this was one of the most challenging cases to investigate in relation to linking the suspects who were all undocumented foreign nationals. “Cooperation by the victims, whom I now see as brave survivors, as well as efficient forensic technologies of the SAPS, made this complex investigation seem easy,” said the Captain. “I would also not have made it without the support and guidance of my colleagues and commanders, as well as the community who boosted the survivors with moral support,” the Captain elaborated.
Gauteng Provincial Commissioner, Lieutenant General Elias Mawela has applauded Captain Thomas Bvuma, reminding other investigators in Gauteng that the Captain was one of two members last year who received the special National Commissioner’s Award in recognition of their commitment, hard work and outstanding achievements in relation to delivering successful convictions and long terms sentences on a number of serial rapists in the past.
“The calibre of investigators like Detective Captain TT Bvuma is what the SAPS needs to assist us in our strife to restore public confidence and instil hope in victims, particularly victims of gender based violence,” cited the Provincial Commissioner.
Thomas Tivane, Makamu Mapeddje, Alex Mabuya, Boavida Chilengue, Gito Maguele, Jordan Bila, Antonio Timbe, George Mabunda and Jeremia Sithole were sentenced to a total of 39 life terms plus 918 years imprisonment.
Source: South African Police Service