The Mpumalanga High Court sitting in Middelburg sentenced a 34-year-old man to life and 86 years imprisonment for rape, robbery with aggravating circumstances and assault yesterday.
Alfred Happy Mnyakeni of Block B Moloto in KwaMhlanga was convicted of five counts of rape, three counts of robbery with aggravating circumstances and assault. Mnyakeni started committing rape in July 2011 until February 2018 in KwaMhlanga. According to National Prosecuting Authority spokesperson, Monica Nyuswa he would target women walking on the streets, threaten them with a knife and rape them with one of the victims raped on two separate occasions.
“On February 11 2018, Mnyakeni raped one of the victims and stole a cellphone, wallet and a handbag. The matter was reported to the police.
He was arrested for possession of a cellphone he stole from the same victim and was linked to other crimes through DNA,” said Nyuswa.
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Prosecutor, senior state advocate Eric Sihlangu, argued that Mnyakeni had no respect for any person, he caused the victims to re-live the ordeal. Sihlangu further stated that Mnyakeni was convicted of serious offences which were prevalent in the country and therefore a prescribed minimum sentence had be imposed. Victim Impact statements were submitted in respect of each victim.
Mnyakeni received life imprisonment for raping one victim twice, 10 years imprisonment of each count of the other rapes he committed, 15 years imprisonment for each count of robbery with aggravating circumstances, and 12 months imprisonment for assault.
The court ordered that sentences in other counts will run concurrently. Mnyakeni was further declared unfit to possess a firearm.
