SERIAL RAPIST SENTENCED TO 4 LIFE TERMS PLUS 45 YEARS IMPRISONMENT

11 September 2025

SERIAL RAPIST SENTENCED TO 4 LIFE TERMS PLUS 45 YEARS IMPRISONMENT

Evander, Mpumalanga – The Evander Magistrates’ Court has convicted and sentenced Khutso Christopher Seopa (39) to four life terms plus an additional 45 years’ imprisonment for multiple offences committed between June 2017 and January 2020 in Evander. The sentencing was delivered yesterday, 10 September 2025.

Seopa was found guilty on four counts of rape, escape from custody, possession of an unlicensed firearm, two counts of kidnapping, and robbery with aggravating circumstances. Seopa targeted women hitchhiking in the evening, taking them to secluded areas to rape them. Two victims were held against their will, some were raped multiple times, and one was severely assaulted and robbed. In June 2017, he was found with an unlicensed firearm with an obliterated serial number. In January 2020, he escaped custody, leading to an arrest warrant and his re-arrest in October 2022. DNA analysis during the police investigation linked him to the rapes.

In court, Seopa pleaded not guilty and maintained his innocence. State Prosecutor Sheetal Kissoon presented compelling evidence, including victim testimonies detailing Seopa’s consistent modus operandi and a forensic expert’s confirmation of matching DNA. The court found the state’s witnesses credible, convicting him on all charges. Kissoon argued that rape is a heinous crime that destroys victims’ physical and mental integrity and security, urging severe punishment.

The court sentenced Seopa to life imprisonment for each rape count, five years for escaping custody, 15 years for the unlicensed firearm, five years for each kidnapping count, and five years for robbery with aggravating circumstances. The sentences for non-rape charges total 45 years, with the court declaring him unfit to possess a firearm, unsuitable to work with children, and ordering his name entered into the National Register for Sex Offenders.

The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) welcomes the sentence, commending the victims’ bravery that aided the arrest. The NPA remains committed to upholding the rule of law, ensuring perpetrators face full consequences, and reflecting the tireless investigative and prosecutorial efforts behind hundreds of similar daily successes.

Issued by:

Monica Nyuswa

NPA Regional Spokesperson

DPP Mpumalanga

Tel: 013 045 0625 / 076 485 5446

Email: mnyuswa@npa.gov.za