Two rapists from Limpopo have each been slapped with three life terms in separate courts across the province.
On Friday, the Giyani Regional Court sentenced Cliff Chauke, 34. to three terms of life imprisonment for raping three young girls in Giyani between 2020 and 2021.
The first incident took place in February 2020, when Chauke found young girls playing on the street and grabbed two of them. At the time the girls were aged 10 and 12. He threatened the girls with a knife, and forced them to nearby bushes where he raped both of them.
The provincial police spokesperson, Colonel Malesela Ledwaba said Chauke was arrested, however, he was granted bail by the court pending DNA results.
In November 2021, Chauke raped a 14-year-old girl using the same modus operandi as the initial rapes.
“He met three girls on the street and grabbed one. He then forced the victim to his house while threatening her with a knife and raped her. The child was only released late in the evening,” Ledwaba said.
Chauke was apprehended in December 2021, following an extensive investigation that included forensic evidence.
“The investigating officers successfully opposed bail, and the accused was kept in custody until he was ultimately convicted and sentenced, “ Ledwaba said.
In a separate incident, the Phalaborwa Regional Court sentenced Chris Ramahlo, 33, was sentenced to three consecutive life terms for his rapes in the Namakgale.
The court heard on December 21, 2014, the victim and her friend accepted a ride from an unknown driver from Phalaborwa Impala Stadium to Makhushane Village.
When reaching a local pub, the victim had asked for a jersey as she felt cold and Ramahlo, who was a passenger offered to get one from one of his friends who lived nearby.
The driver and the victim;s friend entered the pub, while the victim and Ramahlo headed to fetch the jersey.
“Tragically, en route, he brandished a knife, subjected the victim to a harrowing ordeal of assault, and callously committed the heinous act of rape before making his escape. The victim bravely returned to the pub and disclosed the traumatic incident to her friend, who promptly reported the crime to law enforcement,” Ledwaba said.
During investigations, police further uncovered another case where Ramahlo and an accomplice gang raped two minors following a marathon event in July 2023.
His accomplice was never arrested and police are still searching for him.
Ramahlo was sentenced to three life sentences for the rapes.
IOL