15 life terms plus 120 years for Mki
Judge Goliath sends ‘serial sexual offender’ away for good
“IAM damaged. The crime has taken away my spirit.” These were some of the victim impact statements presented to the Western Cape High Court as serial rapist Sikhangele Mki was handed 15 life terms plus 120 years imprisonment for his crimes.
Mki, 34, was convicted of 27 counts of kidnapping and 30 counts of rape. The ages of his victims varied from 11 to 28; nine are under the age of 16 and the youngest victim was 11 years old.
In addition to the counts were 12 counts of robbery with aggravating circumstances, six counts of attempted robbery with aggravating circumstances, three counts of attempted robbery, two counts of robbery and four counts of assault with intent to do grievous bodily harm.
He was arrested after he was linked to the cases by DNA.
Handing down her sentence yesterday, Deputy Judge President Patricia Goliath described Mki as a “serial sexual offender”.
In his plea, Mki said he followed the women in the morning and at night. He would grab and threaten them with a knife, then rob them of their cellphones and money before dragging them to an isolated place to rape them. When the women fought him he would stab them. He said he sometimes wore a condom, but at other times he would take it off before the rape.
Judge Goliath said: “He (Mki) conducted a reign of terror. His modus operandi is the signature of a person who is cruel, vicious and lacks empathy. It resembled a monster lurking in the shadow looking to attack defenceless women.”
The judge said rape was an extremely serious offence – humiliating, degrading and an invasion of one’s privacy – an invasion of a person and the person’s innermost private space.
“Rape has deviated physical and psychological impacts that are evident in the victim impact statements I have received. All complaints were emotionally, psychologically and severely traumatised by the incidents,” she said
Judge Goliath read quotes taken from some of the 20 victim statements she received.
Some of the women in their statement said they “hated” men.
One victim said: “It’s a pain that can never be taken away; a pain that has taken my freedom.”
Mki’s sentences are set to run concurrently. His name will also be recorded on the sexual offenders register.
Eric Ntabazalila, spokesperson for the National Prosecuting Authority, said: “The NPA welcomes the tough sentence handed to the accused, but hopes this case serves as a lesson for communities not to take the law into their own hands. As the incidents of robberies and rapes continued, the community started taking the law into their own hands and as a result a few innocent lives were lost. It is for this reason that a call is made for communities to report cases to the police and come forward as witnesses to help the NPA secure strong sentences as happened in this case.”
The Social Justice Coalition also welcomed the court’s sentence.