THE Pretoria High Court has found the Tsakane graveyard serial rapist, Petetona Abel Lebele (43), guilty of four counts of rape and four counts of kidnapping.
These offences were committed against four females, ages seven, 13, 16, and 32. The offences were committed from January 2017 until August 2019 when he was arrested.
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In his guilty plea, Lebele told the court that he targeted his victims when they were on their way to school or home. He also told the court that he grabbed them and dragged them to Tsakane cemetery where he raped them.
Lebele appeared in court on Wednesday, 4 May and his sentencing was postponed until Tuesday, 9 May.
Daily Sun spoke to one of the victims who was raped on her way to school in 2018. She said she was on her way to school when this happened.
The victim said that she was running a bit late and there were no people around the area. She said she noticed a man walking behind and following her.
She tried to walk faster, but he caught up with her and dragged her to the cemetery. She said she thought he was going to rob her, but she realised he wanted more when he refused to take the money.
She told Daily Sun that since then, her life changed for the worse.
"It took me a while to acknowledge that it wasn't my fault. Nothing makes me happier than knowing he's in jail and won't rape another girl again," she said.
Her mum (49) said this left a wound that will never heal, but she was happy the man was behind bars.
In court, state prosecutor Advocate Lawrence Sivhidzho said Lebele had two prior convictions.
- For theft in 2015 and for robbery in 2008, when he was also declared unfit to possess a firearm. His first and youngest victim was a seven-year-old minor.
- On 19 January 2017, as the minor was on her way to school, she met Lebele who called her and told her to come to collect sweets.
The minor refused and started running but Lebele caught up with her, dragged her to the cemetery, raped her and left her there.
When he raped the 32-year-old woman on 19 August 2019, she had a two-year-old child on her back. Before raping her, he pushed the toddler to the ground and continued raping the mum.
