Gang rapists have other cases
2009-08-31 20:03
Johannesburg - Three of the seven men found guilty of gang raping a pregnant woman in Tembisa in 2005 have other pending criminal cases, the South Gauteng High Court heard on Monday.
Accused number one Thabiso Thukwane was arrested in November 2008 for car theft in Kempton Park.
He also took the stand to plead for a suspended sentence for the gang rape.
Thukwane's co-accused, Sello Mohlala and Moeketsi Mphuti, were also arrested for robbery in 2007.
However, it could not be confirmed in court whether Mohlala and Mphuti were accomplices in the robbery.
Judge Lucy Mailula heard this during presentation of sentencing reports by social workers Jeffrey Maluleke and Lydia Malele.
Both Maluleke and Malele said peer pressure was suspected to have influenced the accused's participation in the gang rape.
The State had told the court that the seven men, who include Oupa Mohlala, Bongani Nhlapo, Kabelo Mwale and Mojalesa Seleka, raped their victim because they wanted to experience sex with a pregnant woman.
The men, who were aged between 16 and their early twenties at the time of the rape, were found guilty in June.
In March this year members of the One in Nine Campaign, which supports women who speak out about rape, protested outside the court to have the court case moved forward - after the matter had been postponed more than 20 times since 2005.
The same group had since named the victim "Buyisiwe" because she cannot be named in court.
The case was postponed to Tuesday.
- SAPA