Masoyi Serial Rapist Sentenced To 4 Life Terms And 59 Years Imprisonment
A 24-year-old man Siyabonga Nyalunga, of Mphatseni Trust in the district of Masoyi, has been sentenced to four life terms and 59 years imprisonment by the Mpumalanga High Court earlier today. He was convicted on four counts of rape, two counts of robbery with aggravating circumstances, one count of robbery, two counts of compelled rape and pointing of a firearm.
These crimes were committed between June 2015 to May 2019, in Masoyi and surrounding areas, where Nyalunga together with his unknown co-perpetrators who are still at large would terrorize women walking on the streets. They would threaten them with a firearm, rape them and rob them of their belongings like cellphones and cash. The victim’s ages range from 17 to 47 years of age and some were raped more than once.
In one incident which happened in June 2015, the accused together with his co-perpetrators terrorised a 23-year-old victim, strangled her and raped her. They fled the scene with her cellular phone and cash amount of R150.00. Again in December 2016, two victims were walking together from school were hen threatened by Nyalunga and his co-perpetrator at gunpoint. He raped them and rob them of their cellular phones. Nyalunga was linked to the crime through DNA, which was taken after he was arrested for another charge unrelated to this case and two of the victims positively identified him in the identification parade.
In court, he pleaded guilty to ten counts ranging from four counts of rape, two counts of robbery with aggravating circumstances, one count of robbery, two counts of compelled rape and one count of pointing of a firearm. Addressing the court for a suitable sentence, state Adv. Zwelethu Mata argued that the court must not deviate from the ordained minimum sentences as the accused does not deserve to walk amongst the law-abiding citizens.
Mata added that the accused displayed an utter lack of respect of bodily integrity for women in our society, as his actions had a devastating effect on all the victims. Victim impact statements compiled by the Court Preparation Manager Xolile Mzobe were handed in aggravation of sentence. They detailed how the rape incidents affected them.
Judge Greyling Coetzer, remarked that the state was correct in its argument that had it not been for the DNA, Nyalunga could in all probability be still terrorizing women in the streets. She found no substantial and compelling circumstances to deviate from the prescribed ordained minimum sentences. The accused was sentenced to 4 life terms and 59 years imprisonment and was further declared unfit to possess a firearm as part of the sentence.
The acting Director of Public Prosecutions Mr Sonja Ntuli, welcomed the sentence and conviction. He said this sentence will go a long way in the fight against the scourge of gender-based violence in our society.
Issued by
Monica Nyuswa
Regional Spokesperson
Mpumalanga
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