The Provincial Commissioner of the South African Police Service in Limpopo Lieutenant General Nneke Jim Ledwaba has welcomed the five life sentences given to two (02) rapists by the Polokwane High Court and Mankweng Regional Court respectively.

In addition to the four life sentences handed down by the High Court in Polokwane, Bless Doctor Nakana aged 23 serial rapist from Ga-Mokgoathi village in Bolobedu outside Tzaneen, was also given a further TWENTY (20) YEARS for two counts of rape.

The accused tormented women and children between the ages of 13 and 58, in the Bolobedu area and surrounding areas between the years 2012 and 2014. During his reign of terror, the accused would pounce on learners on their way from school, mothers with their daughters in the veld collecting fire woods and in some instances targeted women staying alone, broke into their houses and raped them in front of their own children.

On 17 May 2012, the accused and his 43-year-old uncle who has since passed on, attacked a 58-year-old woman and her daughter at Ga-Wally village while collecting firewood in the bushes. They kidnapped the victims and took turns raping both of them.

On November 14th 2012, a 13-year-old girl was walking from school with her friend at Ga-Wally village when the accused attacked both girls and dragged the victim to the nearby bushes and repeatedly raped her.

On 2014-08-11 during the night, the accused broke into a house at Ga-Mokgwathi village, assaulted and raped a 16-year-old girl who was sleeping alone.

The following year, on the 29th January 2015, the twisted man broke into another house at ga-Ramochinyadi village where he threatened a 14-year-old girl who was sleeping and raped her grandmother.

On the same year, on the 11th of May, the accused sneaked on a 16-year-old girl at Mawa Block 12 village while on the way back from school, threatened and forced her to the nearby bushes before repeatedly raping her.

He carried on with his heinous acts where on the 05th October, he broke into a house at Kurhula village outside Phalaborwa, threatened a 23-year-old woman with a knife and raped her in the presence of her child.

The Mankweng Regional Court outside Polokwane handed down life sentence to a 36-year-old man emanated from a rape incident that occurred during 2015 after the accused from Ga-Mothapo area raped his six-year-old neighbour.

On 2015-09-21, in the morning, the victim was playing with her friends when the suspect lured her to his room, stripped her naked and raped her.

The Provincial Commissioner showered these sentences as a milestone achievement made by a team of Detectives. The South African Police Service in Limpopo will continue to fight head on all cases affecting women and children.

“The diligent, dedication and hard work discharged by the Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences (FCS) Units that is undoubtedly recognized, is a step closer in ensuring that offenders of the gender based crimes are permanently removed from the society, concluded General Ledwaba.

Source: South African Police Service