Tsakane graveyard serial rapist found guilty

Tsakane graveyard serial rapist Petetona Abel Lebele (43) was found guilty on four counts of rape as well as kidnapping by the Pretoria High Court sitting in Benoni.

THE VICTIMS OF THE TSAKANE GRAVEYARD RAPIST

According to the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) Regional Spokesperson Lumka Mahanjana, these offences were committed against four females, ages 7, 13, 16, and 32 over 3 years, from January 2017 until August 2019, when he was arrested.

“In his guilty plea, he told the court that he targeted his victims when they were on their way to school or home. He also told the court that he would grab and drag them to the Tsakane cemetery where he raped them,” said Lumka.

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SHOCKING DETAILS ABOUT THE RAPES

The Tsakane graveyard rapist’s first and youngest victim was a 7-year-old minor.

“On 19 January 2017 when the minor was on her way to school, she met with Lebele, he called her and told her to come to collect sweets.  The minor refused and started running however, Lebele caught up with her, dragged her to the cemetery, raped and left her,” she detailed.

“When he raped the 32-year-old woman on 19 August 2019, she had her 2-year-old child on her back, before raping her, he pushed the 2-year-old on the ground and proceeded to rape the mother,” Lumka further detailed.

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LEBELE NO STRANGER TO CRIMINAL ACTIVITY

In court, the state prosecutor Advocate Lawrence Sivhidzho told the court that the Tsakane graveyard serial rapist had two previous convictions – that of theft in 2015 and robbery in 2008 when he was also declared unfit to possess a firearm.

“The matter was postponed to 19 April 2023, for sentencing proceedings.”

Lumka

This is a developing story.

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