By Jonk wa Mashamba
The High Court of South Africa, North West Division sitting at the Klerksdorp Regional Court, sentenced Thabang Gordon Moloi (28) to three life terms and a combined 279 years on 27 offences he was charged with.
He was sentenced to life imprisonment on each count of murder and two of rape.
Moloi’s unrelated charges include murder, attempted murder, multiple robberies with aggravating circumstances, multiple kidnappings, multiple housebreakings, theft, attempted escaping from lawful custody and escaping from lawful custody.
On the night of 10 July 2016, at Ikageng near Potchefstroom, Moloi kidnapped an adult female who he met on the street and dragged her to a nearby house and raped her.
In a separate incident that took place on the night of 14 August 2017, Moloi together with an accomplice known as Rodger met a couple on the street and started assaulting the boyfriend with stones on the head and wielding their knives.
They then dragged the lady to the next street and took turns to rape her.
A trail of criminal activities together with his accomplice continued at Ikageng and on 12 November 2017, they approached a man who was in a motor vehicle with his girlfriend and threatened the couple with knives, kidnapped them and instructed the man to drive towards Klerksdorp.
They stopped along the way and tied up the man with his T-shirt and demanded bank cards and pin codes.
The victim managed to escape while the car was in motion towards Klerksdorp where the two intended to make a withdrawal at a bank.
The two subsequently drove to Jouberton to drop off the victim’s girlfriend before taking off with his car, bank cards and a laptop.
On the 3rd of December 2017, Moloi and Rodger kidnapped three adult females at knifepoint, took them to an isolated location where they tied them up with shoelaces and proceeded to rape one of them while recording themselves.
Later robbed the victims’ money before fleeing the scene.
Henry Mamothame NPA Spokesperson, said that in a separate incident that took place on the night of 10 December 2017 at Ikageng, Moloi and Rodger came across two adult females near a pub, they kidnapped them at knifepoint and took them to an isolated area where they robbed their cellphones and demanded their bank cards and pin codes.
“Moloi left the scene alone to go and withdraw money from the victim’s bank accounts.
“Rodger proceeded to rape one of the victims in the absence of the first accused. The female who was watching while her friend was raped managed to grab Rodger’s knife and stab him to death.
“Moloi was arrested on 19 December 2017 and charged,” said Mamothame.
Mamothame said that on 21 December 2017 while detained at the Potchefstroom police station awaiting a court appearance, Moloi attempted to escape, but the police managed to apprehend him and tried again while being transported from Potchefstroom police station to Orkney police station.
“Moloi persistence to escape finally bear fruit when he managed to free himself off the foot-cuffs and jumped out of the police bakkie and escaped.
“Amongst other offences he committed following his escape, the court convicted him for breaking into a house and robbing cellphones from three women.
“He was also found guilty of robbing an adult female with a Toyota Tazz and money and drove around with her in Jouberton and Albania before dumping her on the road. Police later recovered the vehicle in a damaged state.”
On 06 April 2018 at the Primosa location near Potchefstroom, Moloi together with a man known as Muzwa accosted an adult male who was standing near the road and they stabbed him in the neck and stomach multiple times before robbing him of his cell phone, shoes, trouser and money.
“They then put him in the boot of their car, drove off from the scene and dumped him in an isolated area. They hit him with stones on the head before fleeing the scene. The man was certified dead on the scene upon his discovery.
“Moloi was rearrested on 20 August 2018 and more charges, we added to his docket. He is currently serving a 15-year sentence on a charge of kidnapping and robbery and he has another pending rape case that is unrelated to the 27 offences he is sentenced on.
“He also has four other convictions to his name, that includes theft, two robberies with aggravating circumstances and kidnapping,”Mamothame said.
In aggravation of sentence, Advocate Simphiwo Jika urged the court to consider the ordeal suffered by the vulnerable victims in the hands of Moloi.
Judge Nicholas Laubscher shared this sentiment and also alluded to the responsibility that the criminal justice system has in ensuring that communities are protected from such violent and deadly acts.
The Acting Director of Public Prosecutions in the North West, Dr Rachel Makhari- Sekhaolelo applauds the collaborated effort by the state prosecutor and the South African Police Service (SAPS) on a successful prosecution.
