ZiMoja updates on the latest crime news in parts of the country.
MPUMALANGA: A serial rapist who was described as a danger to society was sent to jail for life by the KwaMhlanga Regional Court yesterday. Johannes Tsepo Molobi (42) was sentenced to two life terms and an additional 12 years imprisonment for multiple rapes committed in Zakheni and Mandela. In the first incident in July 2012, Molobi broke into a house in Zakheni, where he found two victims sleeping. He threatened them, forced them to undress, raped them and fled the scene. The victims reported the matter to the police, but he was not arrested as he was not known to his attackers. In September 2020, he attacked and raped his girlfriend on a street in Mandela and then stabbed and assaulted her. NPA's Monica Nyuswa said the incident was also reported to the police, leading to Molobi's arrest. DNA evidence later linked him to the earlier crimes. He was found guilty on three counts of rape and one count of assault with intent to cause Grievous Bodily Harm."In handing down the sentence, the court emphasised Molobi's danger to society, his status as a repeat offender and his unsuitability for rehabilitation. The National Prosecuting Authority welcomes this sentence as a strong stance against gender-based violence and a testament to its commitment to ensuring justice for victims and holding perpetrators accountable," Nyuswa said.
FREE STATE: The police in Mangaung are searching for a 16-year-old mother who abandoned her baby at a hospital in Bloemfontein last month. Police spokesperson Sergeant Mahlomola Karelihe said the newborn baby boy was found in one of the empty wards at a hospital by a social worker. "It was discovered that the child belongs to a 16-year-old mother who gave birth and was discharged on the same day. Mangaung police were called to the scene, and a case of child neglect was opened for further investigation," Karelihe said. The police attempted to confirm the address of the mother with no luck. The police have pleaded with anyone who might assist in the investigation to contact Sergeant Ranthako on 0764567717.
LIMPOPO: A 22-year-old suspect was arrested for allegedly raping two minor children aged three and four at Mafukani village, outside Mutale, on Friday. According to police spokesperson Colonel Malesela Ledwaba, one of the victims' mothers was at home when she noticed her child going into the bushes and followed her. When she reached where the child was, she saw her with other children and the suspect, who appeared to be sexually assaulting one of the children. The mother asked him what he was doing; he stopped and fled the scene. "One child came out naked. She asked her why she was naked. The child confirmed that she had been raped by the suspect. Both children were taken to the nearest clinic and were transferred to the closest hospital, where penetration was confirmed," Ledwaba said, adding that cases of rape were opened and the suspect was traced and arrested. He will appear in court soon.
