Two Limpopo serial rapists will never see the outside of prison again. This comes after they were found guilty and sentenced to a combined 20 life sentences and 400 years imprisonment for the horrific crimes they committed against women and children. The court found Nyandano Mudulahothe (29) and Peter Mugovha (33) guilty on numerous counts of rape, robbery with aggravating circumstances, kidnapping, assault GBH and house breaking.

TERRORISING COMMUNITIES

The court heard that the accused terrorised the communities around the Thohoyandou policing precinct for years starting from 2011. They were well armed, broke into houses, brutality assaulted their victims before raping and robbing  them off their belongings.  

BRUTALITY 

Twenty six victims aged between 12 and 30 were raped by the accused who humiliated and tortured them during their ordeals. In one of the incidents that took place in 2015, the two men armed with firearms broke into a house at night, dragged  two sisters aged 4 and 14 from their bedroom to their parents' room, who were sleeping with their 6-month-old sibling. The accused brutally assaulted the couple and thereafter forced the man to have sexual intercourse with his wife in front of their children. The hardcore criminals thereafter took turns raping the 14-year-old child in the presence of her family before they robbed the victims cellphones and cash amount of money. In another incident that occurred during the same year (2015), a 12-year-old girl was walking from school when she was accosted  by the accused who forced her to the nearby bushes and took turns raping her. 

NABBED

The two accused were finally arrested in 2016 following a lengthy investigation, led by Detective Sergeant Kgatle of the Serial and Electronic Crime Investigation( SECI) Unit. The detective officer spent sleepless nights working on the cases while he applied his skills. The accused made several court appearances and were denied bail until they were ultimately convicted and sentenced to multiple life imprisonments.

THE SENTENCING

The sentences were passed as follows: Accused number one Nyandano Mudalahothe was sentenced to three life sentences for three rapes, 128 years imprisonment for eight counts of robbery with aggravating circumstances, 15 years for five house breakings with intent to commit crime. The court ordered that count 2 and 3 run concurrently, meaning the accused will serve an effective three life terms in prison plus 15 years imprisonment.

Accused number two Peter Mugovha, a Zimbabwean national was convicted of 17 counts of rape and received 17 life imprisonment for his horrific crimes, 240 years for 16 counts of robbery with aggravating circumstances, 20-year imprisonment for four counts of house robberies, nine years imprisonment for assault and five years for one count of kidnapping. The court ordered that count 2 to 6 run concurrently, meaning the accused will serve an effective 17 life terms in prison plus 15 years imprisonment.  "This is a milestone achievement for our province as two of the hardcore criminals were removed from the society. We hope the sentences will send a strong message to communities that crime will not be tolerated in this province especially against women and children, " said Lieutenant General Thembi Hadebe.