MPUMALANGA – A suspect has been sentenced to three life terms and an additional 10 years’ imprisonment for a series of rape-related offences committed at Jeepers Reef Trust in the Nkomazi district. The sentencing took place at the High Court of South Africa, Mpumalanga Division.
According to Monica Nyuswa, NPA regional spokesperson for the Mpumalanga division, the suspect, Bongani Thembinkosi Nkosi (33), pleaded guilty and was convicted on four counts of rape. “Between February 2016 and July 2019, he terrorised women in the community using the same violent modus operandi,” she said in a statement.
On 18 February 2016, Nkosi and three unidentified accomplices broke into a home at Jeepers Reef Trust, where they found two women. “After demanding valuables and threatening them, they took turns raping the victims. One of the victims’ mothers was asleep in a nearby room,” she said. “Nkosi then dragged one of the victims to an abandoned house, where he continued raping her before fleeing with R700 and a DVD player.”
In a subsequent incident on 30 January 2017, Nkosi, wearing a balaclava, broke into another home where he found a woman with her baby. “He threatened her with a knife, forced her outside, and raped her.”
In another incident on 7 July 2019, Nkosi and several unidentified accomplices broke into yet another house in Jeepers Reef Trust. “They found a woman, her sister, and their mother. They threatened the family, took turns raping the woman, and fled with her mobile phone,” she said.
Nkosi was unknown to all the victims and was later linked to the crimes through DNA evidence, which led to his arrest.
Nyuswa said that in court, Nkosi admitted that his actions were unlawful, intentional, and without any legal justification. “The State presented a compelling victim impact statement compiled by one of the survivors with the assistance of Court Preparation Officer Lizzy Mhlongo, detailing the long-term trauma, fear, and loss of trust in men that she continues to endure.”
She added: “The court found no substantial or compelling circumstances to deviate from the prescribed minimum sentences and imposed the following: three life imprisonment terms for three counts of rape and 10 years’ imprisonment for the fourth count of rape.”
The sentences will run concurrently, as ordered by the court. This means that Nkosi will effectively serve life imprisonment. As is the law for crimes of this nature, she said, “he was entered into the National Register for Sex Offenders, declared unfit to possess a firearm, and deemed unsuitable to work with children.”
The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) remains steadfast in its commitment to combating gender-based violence and femicide. The NPA commends the coordinated efforts of the criminal justice cluster, which ensured that another dangerous offender was removed from communities, particularly during the commemoration of the 16 Days of Activism for No Violence Against Women and Children.
