- Rape
On April 6, 34-year-old Sthembisile Mpinda (aka Nankies), of Ramaphosa informal settlement, was sentenced to life imprisonment for rape and a further five years for child abuse.
Between January 2014 and February 2015, Mpinda raped a girl, who was between eight and nine years old at the time.
In January 2015, Mpinda, who is of no relation to the child but had parental responsibilities towards her, instructed the little girl (then nine years old) to sleep outside their shack, which she did, and locked the door.
The child was unable to attend school as a result of this.
He has no previous convictions and the magistrate ordered that the sentence for the child abuse charge run concurrently with the rape sentence. Mpinda had pleaded not guilty to both counts.
Magistrate Colbert Ramufhufhi presided and Ansurie Khalikhan represented the state.
- Murder
Erick Guqulo (39), of Ramaphosa informal settlement, was sentenced to life imprisonment on April 10 for stabbing Xolile Muleka to death.
The incident happened on December 24, 2016, while the two men were drinking beer together.
According to Guqulo, during a previous beer-drinking encounter, about three months prior, the two had argued and Muleka had struck him with a stick.
Guqulo said he held a grudge against this assault and when the pair again started arguing while drinking in December, Guqulo went to a neighbour and asked for a knife.
“I took the knife and then went straight to him (Muleka) and stabbed him once,” Guqulo told the court.
The knife penetrated Muleka’s heart and lung, causing his death.
Guqulo has no previous convictions and had pleaded guilty to a charge of murder.
Magistrate Colbert Ramufhufhi presided and Takalani Mukhumo represented the state.
