Convicted rapists handed hefty sentences

Phokeng – Two men convicted of rape will spend a long time behind bars after the courts handed each of them a heavy sentence.

On Thursday 18 June 2020, the Taung Regional Court sentenced a 25-year old man to life imprisonment after he was found guilty of raping two minors. On the same day, the Rustenburg Magistrates’ Court sentenced 48-year old Dannyboy Johannes Ramela to 49 years in jail after he was found guilty on three counts of rape.

In separate incidents which occurred between 2011 and 2013, Ramela raped three women in Chaneng near Phokeng. The court heard that he committed the crimes at night by threatening his victims with a knife, dragging them to the bushes and raping them. Following his arrest in 2013 for one of the rape incidents, Ramela was linked to the other three crimes through DNA tests. Ramela was sentenced to 13 years behind bars for the first count and an additional 13 years for the second count. He was handed a further 23 years for the third count.

Police spokesperson brigadier Sabata Mokgwabone said: “He has previous convictions of crimes such as the possession of suspected stolen goods, rape, burglary, robbery and assault. He will serve an effective 36-year imprisonment as the sentences on count 1 and 2 will run concurrently.”  

Provincial commissioner of police lieutenant general Sello Kwena commended sergeant Keolebogile Masire and captain Mokgatlhe Mokgatlhe for their thorough investigations and for securing maximum sentences on both cases. He said these heavy sentences are a strong warning to those committing