Serial rapist gets three life terms

A 27-year-old serial rapist was sentenced to three life terms and 105 years’ imprisonment in the Durban High Court on Wednesday. Khanyisani Njabulo Ngobese raped eight women and two children aged six and 13 between July 2011 and July 2013. “The rapes took place in Mandeni‚ Newlands West‚ Phoenix and Verulam where the accused would threaten the complainants with a knife or a firearm on one occasion‚ rob them of their money or cellphones and then rape them. One complainant was raped twice‚” National Prosecuting Authority spokeswoman Natasha Kara said. In aggravation of sentence senior state advocate Khatija Essack told the court Ngobese had shown no remorse for his actions as he had denied any involvement in these offences even when the court was presented with DNA evidence linking him to seven of the rapes. “Essack told the court one of the complainants was about to attend the annual reed dance when she was raped by the accused‚ while another woman was three months pregnant. “Essack furnished the court with victim impact statements compiled by the complainants and facilitated by Court Preparation Officer‚ Xolile Mzobe. In the statements all the complainants mention the physical and psychological trauma they experienced‚” Kara said. The court found no compelling and substantial circumstances that justified a deviation from the minimum sentence and Ngobese was sentenced accordingly. “The accused will serve an effective life sentence‚” Kara said. - TMG Digital/Durban Newsroom