The Polokwane Division of High Court in Limpopo convicted and sentenced 28-year-old male accused Evans Killer Ramahlo to 102 years imprisonment for robbery with firearms and rape on 30 October 2023.
The court heard that during January 2021 and November 2021, in Motupa village Bolobedu South, Tzaneen policing area, communities were terrorized by two armed males accused targeting couples who could be found strolling around the village at night, robbed them of their belongings such as cellphones, and raped the female victims in front of their partners. He was again targeting couples driving motor vehicles; he would rob them of their valuables and compel male victims to have sex with female victims after raping them.
The police opened cases of robbery with aggravating circumstances, and rape. The case was transferred to the Tzaneen Family Violence, Children Protection, and Sexual Offenses Unit, and Sergeant Glenda Mathebula was assigned to investigate the case with the assistance of the Tzaneen tracing team and managed to gather information about the possible accused. One of the victim’s cellphones was recovered, and later the accused was traced and arrested on Monday 14 February 2022.
The investigating officer opposed bail; until the accused was convincted and subsequently sentenced.
The DNA linked the accused to the other three cases from the same area.
The accused was convicted and sentenced on the following charges:
Four counts of robberies with aggravating circumstances: 13 years imprisonment each.
Two counts of rape: 25 years imprisonment each, of which 5 years are wholly suspended from a period of 5 years on condition that the accused is not convicted of an offense of rape during the period of suspension.
The sentences of robberies with aggravating circumstances and for counts of rape shall run concurrently.
The accused is declared unfit to possess a firearm in terms of Section 103(1) of Act 60 of 2000 (the Firearms Control Act).
The Provincial Commissioner of the South African Police Service in Limpopo, Lieutenant General Thembi Hadebe has welcomed the sentence handed down by Polokwane High Court to the heartless rapist.
“We welcome the lengthy sentence imposed on this senseless criminal. The sentence will go a long way in restoring trust in the Criminal Justice System. The sentence argurs well especially as the country is about to observe the 16 Days of Activism campaign for no violence against women and children,” said Lt Gen Thembi Hadebe.
