Justice Served for 15 Women After North West Serial Violator Sentenced to 6 Life Terms

• A serial rapist has been sentenced to six life terms, two of which will run concurrently
• Jacob Kgantlane terrorised the women of the North West and Limpopo in a terror spree that started in 2009 and lasted till 2013
• In his lengthy crime spree, Kgantlane rapped 14 women, the youngest of which was 14 years old

BRITS - A serial rapist was handed six life term jail sentences after being found guilty of multiple counts of rape.

Jacob Kgantlane assaulted 15 women over four years. Six of his victims were under 18, the youngest being a 14-year-old schoolgirl.

News24 reported that the police officer who ended Kgantlane's four-year terror campaign was delighted with the lengthy sentence. Seargent Clifford Mokone said that sentence means justice has been served for the community and Kgantlane's victims.

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The serial rapist's reign of terror started in 2009 and continued until 2013. He committed many of the rapes in Letlabile near Birts, where he lived with his father. He then expanded his exploits to Lethabong, Brits and Thabazimbi in Limpopo. He would often visit the areas to market himself for job opportunities.

According to The Citizen, Kgantlane would target women walking alone at night, attack them at knifepoint and threaten that he had a gun.

National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) Gauteng spokesperson Lumka Mahanjana said he would often drag them to bushes, stadium toilets and abandoned buildings to accost them.

Mokone took over the case from other police officers in 2013 and said it was difficult to apprehend Kgantlane. Still, police finally made a breakthrough in August 2013 when a tip-off from an informant revealed the rapist's whereabouts.

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In a case that lasted nine years, Kgantlane was found guilty on 21 counts, including one case of attempted rape, 10 instances of rape, nine counts of robbery with aggravating circumstances, and one act of kidnapping.

South Africans weigh in on the justice served

Some South Africans are not satisfied with Kganthlane's sentence.

Here are some reactions:

@ZounaidOsman commented:

"A monster who deserves to be removed from society permanently"

@Mihlalij19 said:

"This is not justice. He will get free accommodation, free healthcare and free food daily."

@Dlyc_Cyl added:

"Good work, but it shouldn't have taken 4 years to find him. Many other victims could have been saved if the police actually worked, things don't need to get worse first before somebody acts."

Brazilian Drug Mule Gets 8 Years for Transporting Narcotics From Brazil to Cape Town

In a similar story, Briefly News reported that the Bellville Regional Court sentenced a Brazilian drug mule to 8 years in prison for trafficking heroin and cocaine worth R870 000 from Brazil to Cape Town.

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Tania Cavalcante Amarante was arrested at the Cape Town International Airport in February 2022 after she was caught trying to smuggle narcotics into the country.

Amarante was travelling from Sao Paulo when the drugs were found in her luggage and shoes. The Hawks captured Amarante on 21 February after they received a tip-off that large amounts of narcotics would be arriving in Cape Town via Qatar airline, IOL reports.

Source: Briefly News