The Eastern Cape Division of the High Court has sentenced 21-year-old Akhanya Makeleni to eight life terms plus an additional 160 years in prison for the systematic sexual abuse and attempted murder of his three pre-teen cousins.

The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) welcomed the heavy penalty after Makeleni pleaded guilty to all 24 counts of sexual offences.

The crimes took place between 2023 and 2025 at the victims’ grandmother’s home in KwaMasele Location, near Qonce.

The children were aged between 10 and 12 at the time of the abuse.

According to his plea explanation, Makeleni used his cellphone to force the children to watch pornographic material, grooming them to perform sexual acts.

He admitted to repeatedly raping the young girls without protection, despite knowing he was born HIV-positive.

The court heard that the abuse began during a traditional family ceremony in his grandmother’s bedroom and continued routinely when the children returned home from school.

In a final escalation on New Year’s Day 2025, Makeleni assaulted all three children in succession in the family bathroom after a trip to the beach, threatening to kill them if they spoke out.

The systemic abuse was uncovered only after one of the victims developed a painfully swollen abdomen and confided in her aunt, prompting the other two children to come forward.

During sentencing, Judge Nozuko Mjali fiercely rejected Makeleni’s attempts to blame his actions on substance abuse.

Aligning with State Advocate Tanduxolo Soga, Judge Mjali ruled that Makeleni actively reconciled himself to the risk of transmitting HIV to the children.

While the victims have initially tested negative for the virus, the court noted it remains uncertain if the window period has fully passed.

Characterising Makeleni as a calculated “sexual predator and serial rapist,” the judge openly questioned the sincerity of his remorse.

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