A South Africa court has sentenced a serial rapist, Nkosikhona Ntshalintshali, 36, to life and additional 110 years imprisonment for the string of rapes he committed in Piet Retief.
COURT RULING
The accused pleaded guilty to the crimes and was subsequently convicted in the Breyten High Court in Mpumalanga on four counts of rape, four counts of robbery with aggravating circumstances, two counts of kidnapping and two counts of housebreaking with intent to commit a crime.
The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) Regional spokesperson, DPP Mpumalanga, Monica Nyuswa, in a statement on Thursday, June 6, 2024, said these offences were committed in Mafred Homes, Phola Park and Kempville Magadeni Section in Piet Retief.
COURT HEARD
During the period between November 2008 to June 2009, the accused would break into his victims’ homes, threaten them with a knife and rob them of their valuables.
He would at times assault them. Some of the victims were accosted while walking on the street and dragged to secluded areas.Â
HE’S BEEN A RAPIST SINCE 2008
In one incident which happened on 11 November 2008, the complainant was walking in the vicinity of Mafred Homes when she came across the accused who demanded a cellphone.
He dragged her to the railway line and raped her. The complainant did not know the perpetrator but reported her ordeal to the police.
Ntshalintshali together with his two unknown perpetrators continued with his rape spree again on 05 June 2009, when they confronted two complainants, a man, and a woman who were walking on the street in the Kempville Magadeni Section.
The accused and his co-perpetrator demanded the victims’ cellular phones and assaulted a man with a knobkierie, injuring his leg and taking his shoes.
Furthermore, the accused threatened a woman with a knife and all three of them took turns to rape her and thereafter fled the scene with her clothes.
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HOW HE WAS ARRESTED
Through police investigations, the accused was arrested in 2020 and was linked to the crimes through DNA.
In aggravation of the sentence, Senior State Advocate Themba Lusenga argued that the accused has expressed regret but shown no remorse for his actions.
The accused was sentenced to life and 110 years imprisonment and the court further declared him unfit to possess a firearm in terms of Section 103 of the Firearms Control Act 60 of 2000.
The Acting Director of Public Prosecutions, Sonja Ntuli commended the Prosecutor, Court Preparation Officer and the police for the meticulous collection and presentation of evidence.
