Three life terms, 30-year jail sentence for Tsakane graveyard serial rapist

The Pretoria high court, sitting in Benoni, on Tuesday sentenced the man dubbed the Tsakane graveyard serial rapist, to three life terms and 30 years' imprisonment.

The court found Petetona Abel Lebele, 43, guilty on four counts of rape and four counts of kidnapping last month. This was after he pleaded guilty to the charges.

The offences were committed against four females, aged seven, 13, 16, and 32, between January 2017 and August 2019, when he was arrested.

He told the court that he would target his victims on their way to school or home. He would then drag them to the Tsakane cemetery where he would rape them.

“His first and youngest victim was a seven-year-old.  On January 19 2017, when the girl was on her way to school, she met Lebele, who called her and offered her sweets.

“The minor refused and started running but Lebele caught up with her and dragged her to the cemetery where he raped her. The accused later raped a 32-year-old woman on August 19 2019, while she had her two-year-old child on her back. He pushed the child to the ground and proceeded to rape the mother,” NPA spokesperson Lumka Mahanjana said.

The court ordered that Lebele's name be included in the national register for sexual offenders.

In aggravation of sentence, prosecutor Lawrence Sivhidzho told the court that rape was traumatic and not only affected victims physically, but emotionally too. 

Sivhidzho also said that Lebele targeted defenceless young children and raped them at a cemetery, which was supposed to be a respected place where loved ones were resting. 

“He therefore asked the court to impose a harsh sentence that will send a message.  Judge Portia Phahlane agreed that Lebele targeted defenceless victims, and that rape was less about sex but about power and entitlement to women’s bodies.” 

After sentencing, the accused applied for leave to appeal. This was opposed by the state and denied by the court.

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