The high court in Middelburg, Mpumalanga, on Tuesday sentenced a serial rapist who terrorised women in the Siyabuswa area to four life terms and 80 years in jail.

Shaggy David Mgidi, 44, from Ga-Phaahla in Siyabuswa, was earlier convicted of four counts of rapes, five counts of robbery with aggravating circumstances and one count of housebreaking.

“All these offences were committed in Siyabuswa, in the district of KwaMhlanga, where the accused would terrorise the community, rape women and rob them of their belongings, including cellphones and clothes.

“His victims were raped more than once and they did not know the perpetrator,” said National Prosecuting Authority provincial spokesperson Monica Nyuswa.

Nyuswa said in an incident on March 13 2009, the complainant was sitting with her boyfriend in a park when the accused emerged.

“He commanded the boyfriend to take off his clothes, including underwear, and threw them over the fence. He then walked away with the woman to bushes and raped her more than once.”

The accused was arrested in 2015 for robbery.

Nyuswa said DNA swabs were taken and were subsequently linked to the rapes he had committed.

Prosecutor Frieda Tshwane led the evidence of a forensic expert which linked the accused to the crimes.

Nyuswa said victim impact statements were presented which detailed that the victims were living in fear and were haunted by the incidents.

Judge Thandoluhle Mankge sentenced Mgidi to life imprisonment on each count of rape, 15 years for each count of robbery with aggravating circumstances and five years for housebreaking.

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