MAHIKENG – The Mmabatho Regional Court has on Wednesday, 22 January 2020, sentenced 39-year-old Bophelo Macdonald Tshemego to eight life imprisonments on eight counts of rape, which occurred in May 2012 at Ext 39, Mmabatho.

The sentence stems from an incident whereby the accused broke into the house of the complainants, found two ladies therein and repeatedly raping them during the night. Furthermore, one of the victims managed to convince the accused to leave the room and she escaped out of the house to alert the community about the incident.

In addition to the sentence, an order was made in respect of section 299 (A) of the Criminal Procedure Act, 1977 (Act No. 51 of 1977) in respect of all the counts, that the complainants have got the right to make representations with regard to placement on parole of the offender. The accused was also declared unfit to possess a firearm in terms of section 103 of the Firearms Control Act, 2000 (Act No. 60 of 2000).

Furthermore, In terms of section 280 of the Criminal Procedure Act, 1977 (Act No. 51 of 1977, the sentences were ordered to run concurrently.

Source: South African Police Service