courtroom packed to the brim by community, family members of victims and survivors sighed with relief when Jugde Mbulelo Jolwana sentenced convicted serial rapist, Headman Mdyosi (37) to four (4) life and 105 years sentences for murder, attempted murder (1) and rape of six women at Queenstown Regional Court today.
Mdyosi was found guilty yesterday for six counts of rape and one count of attempted murder after he raped and murdered four (4) young women from Ngcuka village, Ladyfrere. The four (4) young women from Ngcuka village aged between 20-24 years were attacked between April-December 2012. One woman (61) was lucky to escape his assault after he tried to rape and kill her.
The cases was investigated without luck and were closed as undetected after three (3) years of unsuccessful investigation in 2015.
The suspect continued with his raping spree in 2015 when he sexually assaulted a 21-year-old woman on 15 May 2015. Although she raped and attacked her, the victim survived the ordeal.
It is after the suspect raped the sixth survivor aged, 21 that police detectives finally arrested him on 05 June 2015 for rape. His DNA profile positively linked him to the murder and rape of the four (4) women from Lady Frere.
The suspect committed these heinous crimes while he was on parole for three offences of theft, housebreaking and murder, found guilty and sentenced in 2002 to 18 years in prison. He was released on parole in 2010 but his sentence had since been reinstated since he violated his parole conditions.
The judge handed the sentence as follows:
- Four life sentences for each murder,
- While for each rape a minimum of 15 years were meted.
- A further 15 years was also added for a charge of attempted murder, resulting in 105 years.
Handing over the sentence, Jugde Mbulelo Jokwana said, “He is not allowed to be among the members of the community and had no sign of remorse throughout the course of the trial.”
Eastern Cape Provincial Commissioner, Lt Gen Ntshinga warmly welcomed the news of the sentence meted. “We continue to give our full support to a fruitful collaborative effort between the SAPS investigators, the prosecution and the courts. I cannot leave out the important role of family, victims and survivors who continue to provide crucial evidence that resulted to a successful conviction. We are convinced that this sentence sends a chilling message to other sexual offenders and criminals who are still out there hurting innocent people, the long arm of the law is not short enough not to reach where you are hiding yourselves.”
