SERIAL rapist Sello Mapunya has been sentenced to 1 088 years in prison.
The 33-year-old didn’t show any remorse while his sentence was handed down when he appeared in the Pretoria High Court on Thursday, 27 May.
Mapunya was found guilty of 35 counts of rape and 36 counts of housebreaking and robbery with aggravating circumstances that he committed between 2014 and 2019.
He was sentenced to four life terms combined with 988 years, resulting in 1 088 years’ imprisonment for his crimes. He was facing 101 charges.
Mapunya, who showed the media a middle finger for being photographed, was arrested in 2019 after an intense investigation which dates as far back as October 2014.
The crimes happened in Mamelodi, Atteridgeville, Silverton, Nellmapius and Olievenhoutbosch.
Handing down the sentence, Judge Papi Masopa said the court came up with an appropriate sentence that will also be a lesson to those who might think of committing the same crimes.
“At some stage, an older woman had to sacrifice herself to protect her children aged four and eight after you threatened to rape them. So, this sentence should prevent you from raping as it is a serious offence.”
The court heard Mapunya targeted victims who were staying in shacks and RDP houses by breaking into their homes between 2am and 4am and raping them while their family members were around.
In some instances, the rapist would take the victims to the streets and repeatedly rape them, leaving them naked.
The court further heard some of the victims had to move as they were traumatised. Various weapons such as a gun, knife, screwdriver, and hammer were used to assault the victims before raping them.
One of the survivors Thuleleni Mtsweni (30), who was living at Nellmapius at the time, said it hasn’t been an easy journey to come to court and watch the man who left her with a scar on her head the day she was raped, but she was happy to see him going to jail forever.
Another survivor, Naledi Ranton (28) from Phomolong, said she always hoped that the rapist would pay and that the sentencing was a relief.
Detective Sergeant Catherine Tladi, who was handling the case, told the media she was happy that justice was served.
“A rape victim is uncovered until justice is done, then they are able to cover themselves again.”
Lumka Mahanjana from the NPA said: “We welcome the sentence. We hope this will send a strong message to those who intend to commit similar crimes. We feel and believe that justice was indeed served.”
Mapunya’s name will be added to the register of sex offenders.
