Chronicle Editor
Thupeyo Muleya, Beitbridge Bureau
A 36-YEAR-OLD Zimbabwean man has been jailed for an effective eight life sentences and 88 years imprisonment after he was convicted of a series of rape and murder cases at a high court in Polokwane, Limpopo, South Africa.
Themba Prince Willards Dube (36), who is from Gwanda in Mpaya village, was convicted of two counts of rape, six counts of murder, five counts of robbery with aggravating circumstances, one count of extortion, one count of theft, one count of possession of stolen property and one count of being an illegal immigrant.
He was acquitted on one count of murder, five counts of rape, two counts of robbery with aggravating circumstances and seven counts of kidnapping.
National Prosecuting Authority spokesperson for Limpopo Province, Ms Mashudu Malabi-Dzhangi said in a statement that Dube arrived in the neighbouring country in 2008.
“He was initially arrested on 26 October 2021, for possession of a suspected stolen cellphone that belonged to a woman who was kidnapped in Lebowakgomo in October 2021,” she said.
“The accused was in custody when the investigations led to the discovery of four bodies of women dumped at different locations in Capricorn district.
“Dube pointed seven places where he had killed the deceased persons and before his arrest, he phoned the deceased’s relatives and demanded R1 000 for the release of the deceased and the family deposited the amount into the deceased’s Capitec account”.
Ms Mala said during investigations, the properties of some of the deceased were found at Seshego Zone3 inside the accused’s rented room.
Sidumisile Mabena