Corpun file 26650 at www.corpun.com
The Voice, Gaborone, 4 December 2017
Serial rapist gets 45-year jail term and 30 lashes
By Christina Motlhabani
(extracts)
JAILED: Nka
A convicted serial rapist paid heavily for his offences last week when a Francistown magistrates court slapped him with a 45-year jail term plus 30 strokes of the cane on his bare buttocks.
Appearing before Principal Magistrate, Dumisane Basupi, the notorious Thatayaone Wabuya Nka, 30, was convicted of three counts of rape, following his much publicised rape of three school girls.
The court heard that Nka targeted lone school girls at hiking spots in the morning and offered them a ride in his white truck.
He would then turn to a nearby bush where he raped his victims at knife-point.
Upon sentencing the accused, Magistrate Basupi started by reiterating what was said by the three girls during trial. "The first girl when testifying in court said the accused person grabbed her by the neck and dragged her to a nearby bush where he penetrated her vagina with his penis from behind threatening her with a knife," Basupi said.
The Magistrate said the second girl testified that Nka angrily told her to undress as he menacingly wielded a screwdriver.
Confused and scared, the young girl undressed and her innocence was violently taken away by a heartless rapist.
With every victim conquered it became apparent that Nka became more violent, bold, creative and at times displayed arrogance in the execution of his evil deeds, as was explained by the third victim.
[...]
In mitigation Nka asked for forgiveness from his young victims and stated that he did not reap anything from his actions.
"I was 26-years-old when I committed the offence and before that I was a law abiding citizen," he said.
The father of two pleaded with court to be lenient as life in prison is unbearable.
Basupi was however in no mood for mercy stating that rape is a serious offence which is traumatising to its victims.
"The innocent school children were targeted and the accused should be thankful that his HIV status is favouring him. I therefore sentence the accused to 15-years in prison on each count and 10 strokes on every count too. The sentence is to run consecutively and strokes concurrently," ordered Basupi.
After sentencing, one of the victim's mother told The Voice reporter that she was happy with the outcome. "After raping my child he gave her P20 as a bribe to buy her silence," revealed the distressed mother.
The Voice also learnt that the notorious Francistown rapist may soon be back in court after more young girls came out accusing him of rape and threat to kill.
