POLOKWANE – The Provincial Commissioner of Limpopo Lieutenant General Thembi Hadebe has complimented the investigating team of detectives in ensuring that the high court in Polokwane is imposing a lengthy incarceration to a 32-year-old murder and rape suspect on Friday 29 April 2022.
The accused, Gerald Khomotso Makua allegedly raped two elderly women and brutally murdered one of the victims during his reign of terror between 2016 and 2019 period in Hlogotlou policing precinct.
On 28 August 2016, the accused allegedly found a 62-year-old woman who was collecting firewood in the bushes at Legolaneng village. She was attacked, raped and brutally killed by the accused who later cut her body into pieces.
Afterwards, Makua took her dress and wrapped the victim’s hands and head and immediately fled the scene. The accused managed to dump the organs inside a pit toilet in Mogaung village. The victim, Thabitha Hlakodi’s body was recovered after few days and later buried without the missing body parts.
The accused continued with his horrendous acts at Mogaung village on 08 June 2019 after he gained entry inside a house in the evening and found a 59-year-old woman who was threatened and raped by the unknown suspect who fled the scene afterwards.
A rape case was opened at SAPS Hlogotlou and later transferred to the Grobblersdal Family Violence and Child Protection Unit (FCS). Warrant Officer Moses Matema was assigned to investigate the case and through his indefatigable abilities and dedication he finally managed to apprehend the rapist at his residence in Sterkfontein village on 07 April 2020.
The accused was positively linked with a DNA at both incidents and never granted bail until his sentencing on Friday 29 April 2022 about the following offences:
* Count 01: Murder – Life imprisonment.
* Count 02: Rape – Ten (10) year imprisonment.
* Count 03: Defeating the ends of justice – Five (05) years imprisonment.
* Count 04: Robbery with aggravating circumstances – Fifteen (15) years imprisonment.
* Count 05: House breaking with intend to commit an offence – Five years imprisonment.
* Count 06: Rape – Ten (10) years imprisonment.
The sentences in count 2,3,4,5 and 6 are to run concurrently with count 01 for life term imprisonment.
“This is an indication to everyone that violence against vulnerable elderly citizens will not be tolerated in the province and barbarians like Gerald Khomotso Makua will be permanently ostracized from the society at all costs” said the General.
Source: South African Police Service