The Ga-Rankuwa man convicted of raping nine desperate work-seeking women he had promised to find jobs for has been a career criminal.
The North Gauteng High Court heard this on Monday when Isaac Dibetso’s sentencing proceedings began.
Dibetso‚ 43‚ was convicted last month of raping nine women in and around Ga-Rankuwa‚ north of Pretoria in 2012. He was also convicted on multiple counts of kidnapping‚ robbery with aggravating circumstances and sexual assault.
His victims all reported that they had followed him because he promised to help them find employment. He then led them to the bush‚ where he raped them.
But Dibetso’s most recent criminal rampage was not his first brush with the law.
“He started his criminal career at the age of 18‚” prosecutor Bakedi Maoke told the court while arguing in aggravation of sentence.
Dibetso has 14 previous convictions.
He has been sentenced to more than 35 years behind bars for crimes ranging from rape to housebreaking and attempting to escape from prison. Some of these sentences ran concurrently.
In 1989 and 1990 he was convicted of rape and sentenced to four years and nine years in prison respectively.
Dibetso‚ who chose to represent himself in sentencing proceedings‚ told the court that he was released on parole in 2012 and worked for a construction company until his arrest later that year.
Dibetso raped his nine victims during this time. Some of his victims were gagged‚ bound with their underwear and beaten.
One of Dibetso’s victims was a woman he had known since he was in primary school.
Maoke argued that Dibetso deserved life sentences in respect of three of his victims‚ according to the minimum sentence prescribed for the crimes‚ because he raped them more than once.
She said that the fact that Dibetso failed to use condoms when he raped his victims and wasted the court’s time by pleading not guilty when there was DNA evidence linking him to the rapes‚ were aggravating factors.
She added that Dibetso had not learnt his lesson from serving prison sentences.
Dibetso‚ who did not present any evidence or argument in mitigation of sentence‚ had only this to say: “My lord‚ I am just here to collect my sentence.”
Judge Jody Kollapen said that he was ready to hand down Dibetso’s sentence‚ but postponed the matter for the victims to be notified of the sentencing date.
Kollapen is expected to sentence Dibetso on Wednesday. — TMG Courts and Law
Convicted rapist wants to collect his sentence
The Ga-Rankuwa man convicted of raping nine desperate work-seeking women he had promised to find jobs for has been a career criminal.
The North Gauteng High Court heard this on Monday when Isaac Dibetso’s sentencing proceedings began.
Dibetso‚ 43‚ was convicted last month of raping nine women in and around Ga-Rankuwa‚ north of Pretoria in 2012. He was also convicted on multiple counts of kidnapping‚ robbery with aggravating circumstances and sexual assault.
His victims all reported that they had followed him because he promised to help them find employment. He then led them to the bush‚ where he raped them.
But Dibetso’s most recent criminal rampage was not his first brush with the law.
“He started his criminal career at the age of 18‚” prosecutor Bakedi Maoke told the court while arguing in aggravation of sentence.
Dibetso has 14 previous convictions.
He has been sentenced to more than 35 years behind bars for crimes ranging from rape to housebreaking and attempting to escape from prison. Some of these sentences ran concurrently.
In 1989 and 1990 he was convicted of rape and sentenced to four years and nine years in prison respectively.
Dibetso‚ who chose to represent himself in sentencing proceedings‚ told the court that he was released on parole in 2012 and worked for a construction company until his arrest later that year.
Dibetso raped his nine victims during this time. Some of his victims were gagged‚ bound with their underwear and beaten.
One of Dibetso’s victims was a woman he had known since he was in primary school.
Maoke argued that Dibetso deserved life sentences in respect of three of his victims‚ according to the minimum sentence prescribed for the crimes‚ because he raped them more than once.
She said that the fact that Dibetso failed to use condoms when he raped his victims and wasted the court’s time by pleading not guilty when there was DNA evidence linking him to the rapes‚ were aggravating factors.
She added that Dibetso had not learnt his lesson from serving prison sentences.
Dibetso‚ who did not present any evidence or argument in mitigation of sentence‚ had only this to say: “My lord‚ I am just here to collect my sentence.”
Judge Jody Kollapen said that he was ready to hand down Dibetso’s sentence‚ but postponed the matter for the victims to be notified of the sentencing date.
Kollapen is expected to sentence Dibetso on Wednesday. — TMG Courts and Law
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