Blomfontein - The High Court in Bloemfontein has sentenced rapist Marisela Letlatsa Mochali to life in prison for rape, housebreaking and robbery, the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) said on Wednesday.
Mochali, 32, a Lesotho national, pleaded not guilty to all the charges against him, said NPA spokesman Phaladi Shuping.
Mochali was found guilty on Monday on 12 counts of rape, eight of housebreaking with intent to steal, two of robbery with aggravating circumstances, and one of theft.
The crimes were committed in the Bloemfontein townships of Freedom Square, Phase Nine, Phase Three, and Khayelitsha between November 2011 and February 2012.
In sentencing on Tuesday he received a life term for one count of rape with aggravating circumstances.
“Mochali also got between 15 and 20 years' imprisonment on each count of other rape charges. The judge further sentenced him to 20
years for each count of housebreaking with intent to steal, 15
years for each count of robbery with aggravating circumstance and five years for theft,” said Shuping.
The sentences would run concurrently with the life sentence.
During the trial, the court heard that Mochali broke into the house of a 30-year-old woman in Phase Nine on November 4, 2011, and raped her before robbing her of a cellphone, a passport, and R11.
Seven days later he broke into the house of a 29-year-old woman in Phase Three, raped her and robbed her of two handbags, a pair of socks, a T-shirt, and R595.
He struck again the following day, breaking into the house of a 22-year-old woman from Khayelitsha, raping her in the presence of her husband and robbing her of a cellphone, and R200.
These were some of the cases presented in court against Mochali, said Shuping.
“The court refused Mochali leave to appeal both the conviction and sentence and stated that there is no other court that could come to a different conclusion,” he said.
Sapa