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Serial rapist sentenced to three life sentences

The East London High Court has sentenced serial rapist Phumzile Luzi to three life sentences for raping four women over a period of 18 months.

He will effectively serve one life sentence as the judge ordered the sentences to run concurrently.

One of the women he raped was a Walter Sisulu University student he attacked on the night before her graduation.

Luzi allegedly posed as a taxi driver to pick up his victims‚ all of whom were in their early 20s.

The women all had similar stories of how Luzi picked them up‚ pretending to be a taxi driver giving them lifts‚ and drove them to secluded places‚ raping them and leaving them stranded.

He initially pleaded not guilty to four counts of rape and three counts of robbery with aggravated circumstances‚ despite the court earlier being told that DNA evidence linked him to the crimes.

However‚ in mitigation of sentence‚ Luzi admitted to everything.

“I am apologising to them‚ apologising to their families and also my family. And my heart is sore when I am thinking about the complainants‚” he said.

Prosecuting state advocate Sharon Hendricks said Luzi had wasted the court’s time because he had maintained his innocence throughout the trial. He only came clean after he was found guilty.

Luzi said it was “stupidity” on his part. He added that he was remorseful and disappointed.

 

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