| Eastern Cape Provincial Commissioner welcomes five life terms handed down to child rapist | |
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| Date Published: | 2022/08/17 |
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Media Statement
GQEBERHA - Provincial Commissioner, Lt Gen Nomthetheleli Mene applauded the sterling efforts of the Motherwell Family Violence Child Protection and Sexual Offences Unit for ensuring that a 41-year-old child rapist will no longer be threat to innocent children as he was sentenced in the Gqeberha High court today, 17 August 2022 to five life term imprisonment for his sexual deeds. During 2012 to 2018, Siyabulela Qunta prowled the streets of New Brighton and Kwazakele carefully picking out his victims and then luring them to secluded spots in the area where they were raped. All his victims were between the ages of 5-7 years old. He was arrested in April 2018 in Tsotsobe Street in Kwazakele after trying to kidnap a 7 year old girl who was on her way to a nearby shop. When Qunta grabbed the girl, her siblings ran home to report the incident. The community arrested him while he was running with the child on his back. He was assaulted before been handed over to police. His DNA linked him to five other cases of rape. He was charged on 14 counts which included 5 for rape, 6 for kidnapping and 3 for assault. He remained in custody until the finalisation of the case. On 30 June 2022, he was found guilty on all 14 counts and was sentenced today to five life term imprisonment for the rape charges and a total of 39 years for the kidnapping and assault cases. The kidnapping and assault cases will run concurrent with the five life sentences. The life sentences will not run concurrently.
Lt Gen Mene iterated that justice was served on the accused as he will spend the rest of his life in prison. “The lives of these children have been so painfully affected through the contemptible actions of the accused. As SAPS management we applaud and commend the team involved for their unrelenting spirit in making sure that the accused reign of terror on the vulnerable came to an end. The investigating officer, D/Sgt Jerome Jacobs has indeed displayed meticulous investigation and we hope that this sentence will now bring closure to the victims and their families. Sentences such as this also instils renewed hope and trust from the communities in the police as we, the SAPS continue in our endeavours in the fight against sexual offences related crimes. We also urge communities to work together with our members in exposing sexual predators such as Qunta,” concluded Lt Gen Mene.
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