Pretoria – The High Court in Polokwane has sentenced convicted serial rapist, Themba Prince Willard Dube, 36 years old, to eight life sentences plus 88 years, the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) in Limpopo said.
The Zimbabwean national was convicted on two counts of rape, six counts of murder, five counts of robbery with aggravating circumstances, one count of extortion, and one count of theft.
Limpopo NPA spokesperson Mashudu Malabi-Dzhangi said, Dube was convicted also on one count of possession of stolen property and one count of being an illegal immigrant.
“The accused was acquitted on one count of murder, five counts of rape, two counts of robbery with aggravating circumstances and seven counts of kidnapping,” said Malabi-Dzhangi.
“The accused (Dube) came to the Republic of South Africa without a passport or permit during the year 2008. He was initially arrested on 26 October, 2021, for possession of a suspected stolen cellphone that belonged to a woman who was kidnapped in Lebowakgomo in October 2021.
“The accused was in custody when the investigations led to the discovery of four bodies of women dumped at different locations in Capricorn district.”
Dube showed investigators seven places where he had killed the deceased persons.
“Before his arrest, he phoned the deceased’s relatives and demanded R1 000 for the release of the deceased and the family deposited the amount into the deceased’s Capitec account. During investigations, the property of some of the deceased was found at Seshego Zone 3 inside the accused’s rented room,” Malabi-Dzhangi said.
During the trial, State witnesses told the court that Dube introduced himself as David or Prince and made false promises to all the victims about the existence of employment opportunities at various places.
He took the unsuspecting women to bushy areas near the Polokwane Airport, the Peter Mokaba Stadium, Dendron Road, Matlala Road and the Blood River where he raped and robbed them before killing them.
ln aggravation of sentence, State advocate Calvin Chauke submitted that Dube did not show any signs of remorse, and the offences were premeditated.
The court was also urged to consider that the women targeted by Dube were vulnerable members of society.
Judge Gerrit Muller agreed with the prosecution, that the offences were premeditated, and Dube did not show remorse of his actions.
Director of public prosecutions in Limpopo, advocate Ivy Thenga has welcomed the hefty sentence and she applauded the “good work” done by Chauke, and police detectives.
“We hope this sentence shows that the justice system has no mercy to all criminals who violate our women and children and we will continue to fight the scourge of gender-based violence,” Thenga said.
IOL