The high court in Thohoyandou on Friday sentenced Given Maceke, 39, to 11 life terms after he was convicted of 11 counts of rape and eight counts of robbery with aggravating circumstances.
The incidents for which Maceke, from Nyavani village in the Collins Chabane municipality, was convicted occurred between July 10 2013 and June 25 2016.
“The accused and another male person were armed with knives, threatening the complainants before raping them. The accused would terrorise complainants at Green Farm, Nghezimani, Xigalo, Tshikonelo, Roodhuis and Nyavani villages,” National Prosecuting Authority spokesperson Mashudu Malabi-Dzhangi said.
She said in some instances, the accused and another person would break into the homes of the victims and attack them with dangerous objects. The victims could not identify their assailants. “During the trial, the accused pleaded guilty to all 19 counts, because the evidence of the state was overwhelming.”
During the sentencing stage, prosecutor Nekhambele Nnyambeni Robert argued that the accused had a previous conviction of rape. Victims were raped by more than one person, and some victims were under the age of 16.She said there were no substantial and compelling circumstances justifying the imposition of lesser sentences than the prescribed minimum sentence of life for rape.
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