| 2025/01/13 |
|
Joint Media Statement
NORTH WEST – The fight against sexual offences, fostering teamwork and stakeholder relationship gained success when the Molopo Sexual Offences Regional Court handed down three life sentences to Fezile Zozi and one life imprisonment to Tebogo Matshidiso on Friday, 10 January 2025. Zozi committed the crimes in Lomanyaneng in May 2010, August 2021 and September 2023. In committing the offences, the convict would after meeting the victims, cleverly volunteer to accompany them to their places, but ended up raping them. It emerged during the proceedings that Zozi met the first victim, then aged 15, in the evening on 20 August 2010. On his own accord, he accompanied the girl who was going home. They were on the way when Zozi dragged the girl into the bushes and raped her. The convict was on bail in August 2021, when he met an 18-year-old woman who was on her way home just after midnight. Once more, he volunteered to accompany the woman. They were walking when Zozi told the woman that she was bewitched. Further that he had the ability to heal the woman. Due to the woman’s refusal to the proposal, Zozi forcefully undressed and raped her next to the road. Two years later, he met a 38-year-old woman walking home in the early hours of the morning. In this instance, Zozi pretended to be a prophet and attempted to apply prophetic practices to the woman. Upon refusal, the woman was dragged to the nearby bushes and raped. Consequent to investigations including the linkages, all the cases were combined for the purpose of trial. In addressing the court for a severe punishment, the Prosecutor, Advocate Kefentse Diseko highlighted the gravity and prevalence of the offences. The prosecutor further told the court that the accused violated the constitutional rights of the victims. The convict was accordingly handed life sentence for each of the three counts of rape. The sentences will run concurrently. He was in addition, declared unfit to possess a firearm in terms of Section 103 of the Firearms Control Act, 2000. In another case, Tebogo Matshidiso (31) was sentenced to life imprisonment for raping a woman in the evening on 03 October 2021. The woman was reportedly hitchhiking to go home in Bodibe village, near Itsoseng when offered a lift by a vehicle with two male occupants who were both unknown to her. They were on the way when the passenger forcefully undressed and raped the woman. The driver later stopped the car due to apparent breakdown, and he and his passenger got out to seek help. However, the driver went back to the car and raped the victim. They were still there when a male arrived and allowed the victim use his cellphone to call her parents. Subsequent to investigation and through assistance of the witness (the man who allowed the victim to use his cellphone), the accused was identified and arrested. The second suspect is yet to be arrested. In total, the court slammed three individuals with nine life sentences in two days. In welcoming the sentences, the Director of Public Prosecution, Dr Rachel Makhari and the Acting Provincial Commissioner of North West, Major General Patrick Asaneng, pointed out that while the incidents caused trauma to the victims, it is pleasing that the collaboration of entities to ensure justice to the victims of crime, continues to yield positive results. They applauded the Investigating Officer, D/Sergeant Tshepiso Makunye, D/Constable Themba Mthombeni and the Prosecutor, Advocate Kefentse Diseko as well as other role players for their cooperation, which ensured that another criminals are removed from society. Ends
Enquiries:
X (Twitter): https://twitter.com/SAPoliceService |
|
|
