POLICE MANAGEMENT WELCOME DOUBLE LIFE SENTENCE METED AGAINST RAPIST
NELSPRUIT – The police management in Mpumalanga has welcomed a double life sentence meted by the Kwamhlanga Regional Court to Sibusiso Charles Kabini, aged 26 for raping and robbing three women. Kabini’s reign of terror took place between July and December 2018.
According to the details of the incidences as revealed in court, during the said period, convicted rapist, Kabini preyed on women between the ages 18 and 25. He would wait for them behind a local shopping mall at Kwamhlanga, where he would rape and rob them of their personal belongings using a knife. In one of the incidents, he unashamedly raped a woman in front of her 5-year-old child whilst on the way to a local clinic.
Kabini’s despicable acts continued were at one stage, he also raped a woman who was pregnant at the time and she too was on her way to the local clinic. The third victim went through a similar ordeal after she came back from a tavern where she was also raped by him behind the said mall.
These rape incidents were reported to the police and through a thorough investigation, they managed to arrest Kabini in December 2018. He was subsequently brought before the court and with the assistance of forensic evidence obtained, Kabini was then linked to the said crime scenes at which the state managed to have a watertight case against him. Kabini was then convicted hence his sentencing as follows:
- Count 01- rape, sentenced to 10 years imprisonment.
- Count 02 – rape – life sentence.
- Count 03 – robbery with aggravating circumstances, was sentenced to 10 years of imprisonment.
- Count 04 – rape – life sentence.
When handing down the sentence, Magistrate Marlene Grawensteyn said that the accused have no respect for both women and children. She further indicated that the country is battling with crimes against women and children. She pointed out that convicted rapist Kabini showed no remorse to his victims and the sentence should serve as a lesson that the Judiciary does not take crimes against women as well as children lightly.
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The accused was declared unfit to possess a firearm and his particulars will be entered into the national register for sex offenders. He was also found to be unfit to work with children.
The police management has thanked members of the Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences Unit (FCS) for their relentless efforts in preventing the accused from preying on more victims. The management is of the view that Kabini’s hefty sentence, will assist the victims in their journey to find closure and healing from the unfortunate emotional trauma that they had to endure as a result of this man’s vicious and lustful acts.
Read more from the office of Provincial Commissioner of the South African Police Service in Mpumalanga HERE
