Johannesburg - A serial rapist who exploited young girls and women through Facebook by promising them lucrative modelling careers was handed three life terms and 280 years imprisonment in the Makhanda High Court in the Eastern Cape yesterday.
Eastern Cape police said that 36-year-old Khululekani Justin Ngqeza’s ploy to exploit young teenage girls and women through his Facebook page started in 2019 and continued until 2020, when he was finally arrested in May 2020.
"During his two-year stint, 10 females, aged between 15 and 21, were lured by him, where he promised them lucrative modelling careers. He either met his victims in B&Bs or in secluded bushy areas where he would make them pay for the photographs and then rape them," said Colonel Priscilla Naidu.
"After raping his last victim in May 2020 in Queenstown, the victim immediately alerted police, and intelligence gathered indicated that he was on his way to Mthatha. A roadblock was set up, and he was arrested at the Kei Bridge on May 19, 2020," she said.
The police added that since his arrest, six other victims have come forward and opened cases, three of which are from the Western Cape (Woodstock and Sea Point).
Naidu said that Ngqeza remained in custody until the finalisation of his cases. On February 6, the serial rapist was found guilty on all of his charges, ranging from rape to trafficking in persons.
On Monday, Ngqeza was sentenced as follows:
- Humewood case: He was found guilty on two counts of trafficking in persons and rape; he received 15 and 18 years of imprisonment, respectively, and life imprisonment.
- Queenstown case: He was found guilty of trafficking in persons and rape; he received 18 years imprisonment and 18 years imprisonment, respectively.
- Queenstown case: He was found guilty of trafficking in persons and received 15 years imprisonment.
- Queenstown case: He was found guilty on two counts of trafficking in persons; he received 15 and 18 years of imprisonment, respectively.
- East London case: He was found guilty of trafficking in persons and rape; he received 15 years imprisonment and 12 years imprisonment, respectively.
- East London case: He was found guilty of trafficking in persons and attempted rape; he received 18 years of imprisonment and 15 years of imprisonment, respectively.
- East London case: He was found guilty of trafficking in persons and rape; he received 18 years imprisonment and life imprisonment.
- Woodstock case: He was found guilty of trafficking in persons and rape; he received 15 years imprisonment and life imprisonment.
- Woodstock case: He was found guilty of trafficking in persons and rape; he received two 15 year imprisonments.
- Sea Point case: He was found guilty on two counts of trafficking in persons and rape; he received 30 years imprisonment and 10 years.
The police said all the other sentences would run concurrently with the three life sentences.
The Eastern Cape provincial commissioner, Lieutenant General Nomthetheleli Mene, welcomed the three-life terms and 280 years of imprisonment, and applauded the investigation skills of the provincial head office Family Violence Child Protection and Sexual Offences Unit (Serial and Electronic Crime Investigation) for ensuring that the "unremorseful and shameless" rapist remains behind bars for the rest of his life.
Mene added that these sentences are a victory for all the victims who have suffered such humiliating degradation at the mercy of a cruel man.
"Lengthy jail sentences such as this bring hope to all victims that justice prevails and that the cycle of violence against women and children, can and must be broken. Congratulations to the investigating team and to the investigating officer, D/Sgt Busisiwe Ncula, who ensured that Ngqeza never sees the outside of a prison cell for as long as he lives. We will continue to prioritise and fight gender-based violence in all its forms. The increasing brutality and violence against women ranks as the highest form of betrayal, because the majority of it is in the hands of those they trust," said Mene.
The Star