330 years for Sharpeville monster
JUDGE LASHES OUT AT MAN WHO PREYED ON GIRLS AS YOUNG AS 6 DURING A 5-YEAR RAPE SPREE FATHER OF ONE OF THE VICTIMS SAYS RAPIST ONCE SPENT THE NIGHT AT HIS HOUSE
THE JUDGE lambasted a convicted serial rapist before sentencing him to 12 life terms yesterday in the Vereeniging Circuit Court of the High Court.
Judge J Strydom labelled Emmanuel Moeketsi Monyake, 34, a ruthless man with no mercy. His victims were mostly young girls aged between six and 10 years.
In addition to the 12 life terms for rape, Strydom gave him 35 years for kidnapping and a year for assaulting one victim.
One life term is 25 years, which means, combined with the sentences for kidnapping and assault, Monyake will serve 336 years in prison.
Monyake was arrested on January 12 last year in Sharpeville after he was handed over to police by the community. He was convicted on Wednesday following a lengthy trial. His rape spree lasted from 2010 until last year when he was arrested.
He targeted girls in Boipatong, Sharpeville and Vereeniging in the Vaal.
Some of his victims are HIV-positive and undergoing trauma counselling.
Monyake raped his young victims both vaginally and anally, tying one little girl to a tree as he sexually abused her.
When passing sentence, Strydom said sentencing is about achieving a balance in proportionality, including the crimes committed, the offender and the interests of society.
“The society is outraged. The purpose of sentence is a deterrence for other members of the community, to deter individuals from committing offences, to protect society from harm and to serve society’s desire for retribution.
“The court must question the issue of remorse. Remorse is a growing conscience on the part of another. No action of remorse was taken by the accused prior and during the trial. In my view it is not genuine remorse. He is simply sorry for himself after being faced with sentence.
“Rape is an intrusion of the most private rights of a human being, in particular a girl and a woman.
“It is a violation of one’s rights to dignity which is enshrined in the constitution,” he said, adding that “society wants people [criminals] to be dealt with sternly and decisively”.
He said Monyake preyed on vulnerable girls, luring them with a promise of buying them chips and thereafter raping them.
Strydom added that rape was a type of inhumane treatment that could not be tolerated.
Monyake was denied leave to appeal and his name will be included in the sexual offences register.