Pretoria – The Siyabuswa Regional Court, in Mpumalanga, has sentenced 50-year-old Papanyana Mike Kolobe to 54 years direct imprisonment for a spate of rape, and housebreakings with intent to rape cases.
Provincial police spokesperson, Colonel Donald Mdhluli said Kolobe’s rein of terror spanned from 2013 until 2018.
“Kolobe began terrorising the community in 2013 when he pounced on a helpless victim aged 23. It is alleged that in January 2013, the victim was asleep on a couch, then she was ordered to undress and was subsequently raped on three counts,” said Mdhluli.
In July 2014, Kolobe targeted a 32-year-old woman who was walking from church at Kwa Phahla.
“She too was not spared by this heartless man. She was walking in the street, then the accused (Kolobe) approached her from behind. Though she tried walking faster but he overpowered her and grabbed her from behind then raped her,” said Mdhluli.
“After the ordeal, the victim was accompanied home by the accused who was unknown to her by then.”
As the crimes continued, in May 2018, Kolobe committed another rape at Siyabuswa.
“At that time, a 26-year-old victim was asleep in her residential place when she was woken up by the presence of an intruder in her house. She was strangled by the accused and she fell down then he raped her. A case of house breaking with the intent to rape coupled with a charge of rape was opened,” Mdhluli said.
“In December 2018, a 40-year-old woman from Siyabuswa B was on her way home when she met the accused (Kolobe) who was known to her. Kolobe requested her to accompany him to his residence. The victim resisted, but he grabbed and forced her to his residential place.”
Police said Kolobe held her captive the whole night, raping her, until he freed her the next morning.
A rape case was opened at Siyabuswa police station.
The cases were assigned to the SAPS Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences unit (FCS) at KwaMhlanga.
“The members (police officers) worked tirelessly, leading to Kolobe’s arrest at Siyabuswa in October 2018. As a result of his arrest, police got an opportunity to dig deep in their investigation and then discovered that he could be considered a serial rapist as he was a suspect to all these cases,” Mdhluli said.
“In the tour of their investigation, they uncovered that the man was in fact a parolee. The astute members then did the right thing by ensuring that his parolee status was revoked as it was proved that he violated the conditions thereof.
“The accused was positively linked to the said rape cases as well as the house breaking case through the evidence that was collected. He was charged with four counts of rape, and he was further denied bail for the duration of the trial,” he said.
Kolobe was sentenced as follows:
- Count one of rape, he was sentenced to seven years imprisonment.
- On Count two of rape, he was sentenced to another seven years.
- Count three of house breaking with intent to rape, Kolobe was sentenced to two years imprisonment.
- Count four of rape, Kolobe was sentenced to 20 years imprisonment.
- Count five of rape, Kolobe was also sentenced to 20 years imprisonment.
On count two, three, and four – which are all rape cases – police said Kolobe was linked to the heinous crimes through DNA.
The court also ordered that sentences for count three, house breaking with intent to rape, and count four which is rape, should run concurrently.
“The Regional Magistrate, Mawabo Malangeni indicated that people like the accused (Kolobe), do not belong in the community. They deserve to pay for their sins. He also mentioned that justice needs to be served for the victims,” Mdhluli said.
“The accused was also declared unfit to possess a firearm. His name will be entered into the national register of sexual offenders.”
IOL