7 LIFE TERMS AND 83 YEARS IMPRISONMENT FOR A SERIAL RAPIST
The High Court of South Africa: The Mpumalanga Division of the High Court in Mbombela, has convicted and sentenced Elvis Aaron Zulu (40), from Daantjie in Pienaar to 7 life terms and 83 years of direct imprisonment. This follows his conviction on 22 counts, ranging from nine counts of rape, six counts of kidnapping, three counts of robbery with aggravating circumstances, three counts of pointing a firearm and one count of possession of an unlicensed firearm. Zulu’s reign of terror started from January 2011 to November 2014, in Pienaar in the district of KaBokweni.
The accused would target his victims at gunpoint, take them to a nearby house and rape them. He would sometimes take his victims to a nearby graveyard, rape them and rob them of their belongings like cellphones and cash. One of the victims was a minor when the incident happened while three other victims were gang raped by the accused and his unknown co-perpetrators. In one incident which happened on 30 January 2011, a thirty-eight-year-old victim was on her way to the shop when the accused emerged. He struck up a conversation with the victim, and while busy talking, the accused grabbed her at a nearby abandoned house at a gunpoint and raped her more than once. Zulu released the victim the following day and gave her a taxi fare to travel back home. Again, on 02 November 2011, the other victim was at Msogwaba cemetery when the accused and his co-perpetrator emerged.
They pointed the victim with a knife and a firearm, laid her on the grave and raped her using a tombstone as a bed whilst his accomplice pointed a firearm at her. The accused rape spree came to light in November 2014, after he and his unknown accomplices accosted another victim at Pienaar. They took a victim’s cellphone and dragged her to Hope of the Nations Ministry Church and raped her taking turns. The accused was arrested after one of the victims was able to identify him to the police. Buccal swabs were taken and positively linked him with other rape cases.
He pleaded not guilty in court and claimed consent from the victim who identified him. State Advocate Tshepo Mahasha led evidence of all victims who testified about how the incident happened. Evidence of DNA linking the accused to the offence was also led and the state handed in a victim impact statement compiled by the victims and facilitated by Court Preparation Officer, Nomfundo Mokoena. They detailed how they suffered at the hands of the accused.
In sentencing, Judge Takalane Ratshivhumo told the court that the accused failed to show remorse to the victims and the victims for his actions. The court found no substantial and compelling circumstances to justify deviation from the imposition of the prescribed minimum sentence. Zulu, was sentenced to 7 life terms and 83 years imprisonment. The court declared the accused unfit to possess a firearm, it further ordered the accused’s name to be entered into the National Register for Sex Offenders and declared unfit to work with children.
The Director of Public Prosecutions, Adv. Nkebe Kanyane welcomes the sentence and commends the good work done by the prosecution and the police in securing this conviction .She said, sentences of this nature are indicative of our dedication to fighting the scourge of gender-based violence and femicide.
