Serial rapist sentenced

A FORMER Mpumalanga nurse has been sentenced to five life terms and 182 years’ imprisonment after his reign of terror, which included 14 rapes and robbery.

National Prosecuting Authority Mpumalanga spokesperson Monica Nyuswa said: “The High Court of South Africa, the Mpumalanga division, sitting in Middelburg, sentenced Mpho Gift Moima, 36, of Maganagobuswa in Siyabuswa, to five life terms plus 182 years’ imprisonment earlier today.

“This is after he pleaded guilty to 14 counts of rape, four counts of robbery with aggravating circumstances, four counts of kidnapping, three counts of pointing of a firearm, one count of attempted murder, and one count of sexual assault.”

Moima was employed as a nurse at the Mpumalanga Department of Health’s Kgobokwane Clinic.

“All the crimes were committed between February and March 2018 in different areas of Siyabuswa. Moima would target women walking in the street at late hours, force them into his vehicle at gunpoint, drive with them to the bushes and rape them. Five of the 14 victims were minors,” Nyuswa said.

Nyuswa said that in one incident, in February 2018, Moima drove with three victims from Woolkraal RDP houses to a bush at Oorlog.

“He instructed them to undress themselves and raped them one by one. He would sometimes rob his victims of their belongings, like cellphones and cash. Some were assaulted and repeatedly raped by Moima.

“He was arrested after the police followed information about a cellphone that was robbed from one of the victims.

“Buccal swabs were taken and linked Moima to other crimes.”

In court, Moima changed his plea to guilty as the evidence against him was “overwhelming”.

“In aggravation of sentence, prosecutor advocate Eric Sihlangu led testimonies of several victims. Victim impact reports indicated how the rapes affected their lives and medical reports were also handed in.

“The court sentenced Moima to five life sentences in respect of each count of minor victims, 10 years’ imprisonment on each count of adult victims, 15 years’ imprisonment on each count of robbery with aggravating circumstances, five years’ imprisonment on each count of kidnapping, two years’ imprisonment on each count of pointing of a firearm, six years’ (imprisonment) for attempted murder and another five years’ imprisonment for sexual assault,” Nyuswa said. |