Life for 3 killers, rapists

THE three men who raped two women and drowned their husbands in a lake at Rhodes Park in Joburg were handed four life sentences each at the South Gauteng High Court yesterday.

Judge Papi Masopa said the men treated the victims in a disgraceful and barbaric manner.

On October 17, 2015, a group of eight men including Mduduzi Lawrence Mathibela, 33, Edmore Ndlovu, 24, and Thabo Nkala, 26, accosted and robbed two couples taking a stroll at Rhodes Park in the Johannesburg suburb of Kensington.

Armed with a gun and a knife, the group forced their victims to lie on the ground. They used a knife to cut off the panties of both women and then raped them.

They forced their partners to undress, tied them up and made them wade into the lake where they drowned. The gang stole their clothes, jewellery, and a cellphone which they later sold for R320.

“They have girlfriends and daughters but failed to treat the complainants as they would have treated their families,” Judge Masopa said.

“After raping the women, they laughed and said their husbands were fools for swimming in a lake instead of swimming in a pool. It means they knew what they were doing.”

Judge Masopa said he found it difficult to understand why the accused had to drown the men when they hadn’t displayed any resistance when they were ordered to lie down.

Social workers from Ikhaya Lethemba were in court to support the victims. They shouted “thank you, Jesus” when the judge handed a life sentence to each accused.

Judge Masopa also spoke of the lack of remorse shown by the assailants.