RAPIST GETS TWO LIFE TERMS AND 50 YEARS IMPRISONMENT
The High Court of South Africa: The Mpumalanga Division of the High Court has today convicted and sentenced Sibocesso Cossa(33), to two life terms and 50 years imprisonment, following his guilty plea on seven counts of rape he committed in the district of Tonga. These crimes were committed between May 2016 to October 2018, in areas surrounding KaMaqhekeza, Block C and Naas. The accused would target his victims at gunpoint or threaten them with a knife, rob them of their belongings and rape them. One of the victims was a minor when the incident happened, while the other victim was gang raped.
In one of the incidents which happened on 16 May 2016, Cossa accosted a fifteen-year-old minor girl, took her to a place behind KaMaqhekeza Mall, rob her of her cellphone and raped her. Cossa continued with his rape spree, and on 19 August 2016, he and his unknown accomplices attacked a twenty-three-year-old who was coming from church. They threatened her with a knife, took her into her neighbour’s yard and gang-raped her. Then they fled the scene with the victim’s cellphone. Coosa was arrested after he raped a 28-year-old woman in October 2018, he attacked her at her place of residence at Naas. The victim was able to identify the accused to the police and was subsequently arrested. Cossa was linked through DNA evidence to these offences.
In court, the accused pleaded guilty to all rape charges and was convicted. In aggravation of the sentence state Advocate Themba Lusenga, argued the court not to deviate from the prescribed minimum sentence. The state further handed in victim impact statements compiled by the victims and facilitated by Court Preparation Officer Nomfundo Mokoena. They authored that the incidents left them traumatised and heartbroken. During sentencing, the judge agreed with the state and sentenced the accused to 2 life and 50 years imprisonment.
The National Prosecuting Authority welcomes the sentence and commends the good work done by the Prosecution and the Police in securing this conviction. Sentences of this nature are indicative of our dedication to fighting the scourge of gender-based violence.
