Pretoria – The South Gauteng High Court in Johannesburg on Tuesday sentenced serial rapist Katlego Mabote to five life terms and 42 years in prison for a spate of rape attacks in Soweto over the past eight years.
Mabote was convicted of raping several women around Rockville and Mofolo between 2007 and 2014.
He was self-employed and used to transport retail store workers and schoolchildren in Soweto. He used his taxi as an instrument to kidnap women in Rockville and Mofolo.
“Six of his victims were lured into boarding his taxi and thereafter threatened with assault, assaulted viciously before been taken to his house where they were raped. Some were unconscious because of the assault. Some victims were raped repeatedly in the presence of other witnesses, and co-perpetrators who are still at large.
“Two of the victims were left visually impaired because of the assault, while others had attempted suicide and were depressed,” said National Prosecuting Authority spokesperson, Phindi Mjonondwane.
Mjonondwane said some of the victims were approached by police officers in an attempt to persuade them to withdraw their statements.
“In some cases, the signatures were forged while in others statements were altered and DNA statements tampered with,” she said.
Prosecutor Shubnum Singh argued that the accused showed no remorse and re-victimised the complainants by delaying the case since 2015 through interlocutory applications, among them recusals of prosecutors and judges, and refusals to attend court or travel with other prisoners, among other demands.
“The police played into the hands of the accused by filing withdrawal statements purporting to be from the complainants, allowing the accused to continue with his reign of terror. He had friends among police officers, correctional services, and some other government departments,” Singh said.
The judge ordered an investigation into the police officers who attempted to pervert the course of justice.
It was also heard that in 2007, Mabote was charged with raping a 14-year-old minor, and was sentenced to a fine of R6 000 or three years’ imprisonment, wholly suspended for five years, on condition that he was not found guilty of sexual violation.
IOL