South African Serial rapist gets 8 life sentences

The High Court in Pretoria handed down 8 life sentences AND 195 years of jail time for Mothesele. Collectively, that would add up to almost 400 years behind bars.

36-year-old Tshitso Mothesele is a serial rapist from Khutsong. Between 2017 and 2018, he raped 16 females around the Carletonville area. Six of his victims were minors. This week, Mothesele was sentenced. He will spend the rest of his life behind bars.

The NPA has revealed that Mothesele always used the same tactics when carrying out the rapes. He would target the women and girls as they got off public transport.

He then dragged them into a field, and would rape them before making off with all of their belongings.

During the trial and sentencing, the court heard that Mothesele was a serial rapist and had shown no signs of remorse. A psychologist also testified regarding the specific violence of the rapes.

NPA welcomes the sentence

The NPA has welcomed the sentence. Reacting to the news, the authority promised South Africans that it is committed to fighting gender-based violence “and ensuring such crimes are prosecuted”.

Aside from being a convicted serial rapist and placed on the sex offenders registry, Mothesele was also found guilty of 8 counts of robbery and kidnapping.

He was arrested in December 2018 after police were able to track one of his victim’s cellphones. Mothesele had sold the phone after stealing it from the victim.