MPUMALANGA Facebook serial rapist Ben Mdluli (40) will finally pay for his heinous crimes.
He was sentenced to more than 75 years imprisonment. This hefty sentence was handed down by the Graskop High Court on Thursday, 27 July.
Ben’s reign of terror began in July 2020 until December 2021 where he preyed on victims in and around Acornhoek. He would send his victims random messages on Facebook, promising them jobs at guesthouses and lodges. When the victims would meet him, he would then pounce on them.
Mpumalanga National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) spokeswoman Monica Nyuswa said Mdluli would tell the victims that the work vehicle was busy transporting staff members and they needed to walk, taking a shortcut through the bushes where he would threaten them with a knife and rape them.
Nyuswa said in one incident, Mdluli injured the victim on four of her fingers by cutting her in the hand with a knife during a struggle for the weapon.
ALSO READ: Man (23) bust for 'raping' ex-lover!
“He robbed two of the victims of R200 cash and the others of cellphones,” she said.
Mdluli's raping spree came to an end with he was arrested and linked to the offense through DNA but pleaded not guilty to the charges.
In court, state Advocate Thobeka Phungula led evidence of victims and first reports, where their evidence was supported by the DNA evidence as well as J88 medical reports.
In aggravation of the sentence, Phungula told the court that the accused was a danger to society, offences were planned and witnesses were exposed to sexually transmitted diseases, and he also took advantage of the vulnerability of unemployment.
Adding more weight to the evidence was victim impact statements compiled by court preparation officer, Nomfundo Mokoena.
Mokoena detailed from the statements how the incidents negatively impacted the victims.
As a result, the court found no reason to deviate from the prescribed minimum sentence and the accused was sentenced accordingly.
He was found guilty to six counts of rape and two counts of robbery and sentenced to life imprisonment, as well as an additional 75 years imprisonment.
Nyuswa said said that the court declared Mdluli unfit to possess a firearm as part of the sentence.
