Durban — The Ntuzuma Magistrate’s Court has sentenced convicted Facebook serial rapist Philani Siyabonga Ndwandwe to 30 years’ imprisonment for five counts of rape and four counts of aggravating circumstances.
The 31-year-old used Facebook to lure his victims to Durban, offering them prospective employment as child-minders and tuck-shop assistants. Once they arrived in Inanda he would take them to a secluded area and at knifepoint rob and rape them.
He did this to five women, starting in 2018, and going on to 2020. His reign of terror was thwarted by the police following investigations led by Warrant Officer Mndeni Mzila, in which he was traced and arrested.
Ndwandwe pleaded guilty to the rapes, which he had been positively linked to by DNA. He pleaded not guilty to the robberies, even though some of the victims’ belongings had been found in his possession at the time of his arrest.
On Thursday, Magistrate T Nomvungu sentenced Ndwandwe to 15 years for all the rapes and another 15 years for all the robberies. She said that the sentences were to run concurrently.
“The accused did not volunteer his arrest, he only pleaded guilty after his arrest. Some possessions of the victims were found in his possession, and yet he pleaded not guilty to the robberies. He only pleaded guilty to the rapes as he was linked to the crimes by DNA and he knew that he never stood a chance to defend himself,” said Nomvungu.
She said the defence submitted that the accused was easily influenced by others. His background was that his mother died at an early age of his life, and he was raised by his stepmother, and he had no previous convictions.
“The court needs to look at the nature of the case and the interests of society, where the sentence imposed aims to restore the imbalance imposed by criminal conduct. There should be proportional punishment against crimes committed. He has been convicted of serious and prevalent crimes. The victims, too, are members of society and in their victim impact statements have said how their lives have been impacted and changed by crime, said Nomvungu.
“The common thread is that they have lost their zeal for life and find themselves isolated, not wanting to socialise. They have lost trust in humankind, especially men. One victim lost the use of her arm as a result of her injury and was forced to stop working. Before the attack she was a productive member of society and took care of her child, and now she has to rely on handouts.”
Four of the five victims were from areas outside of Durban such as Port Shepstone, Umkomaas, and Bulwer.
Nomvungo said the accused committed the crimes knowing that the women did not know him as they came from far way areas and would not be able to identify him, and he committed the crimes in isolated spaces that the victims did not know.
“After he had raped one victim he showed her a police station and the other he showed a councillor’s house, saying they could get help there. He was unaware of technology such as DNA that would link him to the crime. I have found no compelling and substantial circumstance to deviate from the minimum sentence.
“The accused is convicted of multiple counts of serious offences, and the lives of the victims were negatively impacted. The emotional and physical scars will be there for the rest of their lives to remind them. I should ensure the sentence is just and fitting.”
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