Three men convicted of raping three Durban women at a beach house on the KwaZulu-Natal South Coast were on Thursday sentenced to five life sentences each in the Scottburgh High Court.
Sithembiso Shelembe (23), Mthokozisi Mbambo (30) and Wonder Mchunu (27) will only be considered for parole after 25 years.
The men raped the three women at a beach house in Pennington, south of Scottburgh, on December 29 last year. Later that night they attacked and robbed a Sandton couple.
Sentencing the men, Judge Leona Theron, said: ”There are no compelling circumstances to justify this court from deviating from the minimum sentences.”
The men received life sentences for the rape charges, three years each for the indecent assault convictions and 15 years and 20 years for the two robbery-with-aggravating-circumstances conviction.
Moments after the sentencing, the packed court erupted into cheers and shouts of jubilation.
”See what happens when you get raped tonight,” shouted a member of public.
”It’s a pity you don’t swing,” shouted another.
The investigating officer, Inspector Basil Crouse, from the police’s organised-crime unit, was mobbed by the cheering crowd who congratulated him. — Sapa