Zimbabwean caged for 226 years

CRIMINALS do not come as prolific as one Leonard Lemmy Chauke, a Zimbabwean who is based in South Africa.

At just the age of 34, he has a rap sheet as long as the Zambezi River.

It seems the lessons of how to be a model citizen did not go through to him.

Last week, South African authorities slapped him with a 226-year jail sentence.

Essentially, it means he will live the rest of his miserable life behind bars.

Phew!

But what is Chauke’s claim to fame, or infamy?

Well, you name any crime, and he has committed it.

His grim criminal record includes egregious offences such as murder, rape and kidnapping.

Initially, South African law-enforcement agents accounted for him, but he somehow managed the incredible feat of escaping from Kgosi Mampuru Correctional Services in Pretoria in December 2020, where he was serving a 15-year term.

His escape only came after serving two months.

Fresh out of jail and raring to go, Chauke embarked on another crime spree.

Overall, he was convicted on his own plea of guilty for 26 counts of rape, murder, illegal migration, kidnapping, housebreaking, robbery, escaping from lawful custody and illegal possession of a firearm by Pretoria High Court judge Justice Portia Phahlane.

Chauke got three life terms for two counts of rape and murder, 80 years’ imprisonment for four counts of robbery with aggravating circumstances, 90 years for six counts of unlawful possession of a firearm, 15 years for five counts of housebreaking and 15 years for three counts of kidnapping.

In addition, he will serve 10 years’ imprisonment for rape, 12 years for four counts of unlawful possession of ammunition, two years for escaping from custody and two years for being in the country illegally.

But here is the kicker: In court, he pulled the usual blame-it-on-the-alcohol stunt.

He blamed his crime spree on drug and substance abuse.

Yeah, right?

Now he has been given 226 years to repent.