The High Court in Polokwane sentenced convicted serial rapist and killer Themba Dube (36) to eight life sentences plus an additional 88 years behind bars. The women's decomposed bodies were dumped at different locations in Seshego, Polokwane, Mankweng and Westenburg policing areas. The Zimbabwean national was convicted on two counts of rape, six counts of murder, five counts of robbery with aggravating circumstances, one count of extortion, and one count of theft.

AN ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT

Dube admitted to court in 2021 that he was in the country illegal. He told the court that he left his home village in Matebeleland in southwestern Zimbabwe in 2019 and came into the country illegally through Beit Bridge border post. He was initially arrested for possession of a stolen cellphone. The police established that it belonged to a woman from Lebowakgomo who was missing. Limpopo NPA spokesperson Mashudu Malabi-Dzhangi said, Dube was also convicted on one count of possession of stolen property and one count of being an illegal immigrant. "The accused came to the Republic of South Africa without a passport or permit during the year 2008. He was initially arrested on 26 October 2021, for possession of a suspected stolen cellphone that belonged to a woman who was kidnapped in Lebowakgomo in October 2021.

MONEY FOR CORPSE 

The court heard that before his arrest, Dube phoned the deceased's relatives and demanded R1 000 for the release of the deceased remains. The families is said to have deposited the amount into the deceased's Capitec account. During investigations, belongings of some of the deceased were found at Seshego Zone 3 inside the accused's rented room.

JOB SCAM

During the trial, State witnesses told the court that Dube introduced himself as David or Prince and made false promises to all the victims about the existence of employment opportunities at various places. "He took the unsuspecting women to bushy areas near the Polokwane Airport, the Peter Mokaba Stadium, Dendron Road, Matlala Road and the Blood River where he raped and robbed them before killing them, said Malabi-Dzhangi. Malabi-Dzhangi who added that the accused was in custody when the investigations led to the discovery of four bodies of women dumped at different locations in the Capricorn district. Dube showed investigators seven places where he had killed the women.

NO REMORSE 

In aggravation of sentence, state advocate Calvin Chauke submitted that Dube did not show any signs of remorse, and the offences were premeditated. The court was also urged to consider that the women targeted by Dube were vulnerable members of society. Judge Gerrit Muller agreed with the prosecution, that the crimes were premeditated, and Dube did not show remorse for his actions. We hope this sentence shows that the justice system has no mercy to all criminals who violate our women and children, and we will continue to fight the scourge of gender-based violence," Thenga said. Malebeko Sadiki from the Lentswe Laka Foundation, an Anti-GBV organisation in Limpopo said they welcome the sentence and that this will send a strong message to perpetrators of Gender-Based-Violence and femicide. "This shows that GBV cannot be tolerated and it needs to stop, so perpetrators needs to watch out because the courts are also sending a message," Sadiki said.