Gqeberha High Court sentenced Thabiso Klaas (41) to three life terms and 60 years in prison for five counts of rape, three counts of housebreaking with intent to rape and robbery with aggravating circumstances.

SAPS Lieutenant General Lillian Mene said Klaas was arrested in January 2023 at the Middledrift prison while awaiting trial for another rape case he allegedly committed in December 2021 but that case was later withdrawn in court.

Mene said between December 2011 and March 2020, Klaas committed crimes in Bell in Peddie, Motherwell and Kwazakhele in Gqeberha.

" He raped three women, 31-years-old, 51-years-old and 75-years-old, when he broke into their homes at night, threatening to stab them and assaulting them before raping them and demanding money and cellphones," said Mene.

Mene explained that in December 2022, the accused was positively linked through DNA in these three cases and this conviction is a victory because the accused clearly had no intention to repent.

"While these sentences mark a victory for justice, it is important to remember that there are many more victims of gender-based violence who continue to suffer in silence.We must continue to make every effort to ensure that perpetrators of such crimes are arrested and held accountable. The investigating team and to the investigating officer, sergeant Busisiwe Ncula, ensured that Klaas never sees the outside of a prison cell for as long as he lives.? said Mene.