Staff Reporter
The Free State High Court has sentenced a man convicted of multiple cases of robbery and rape to 35 years’ imprisonment.
John Komane, 34, terrorised residents of Kopanong in Mangaung between 2013 and 2015 where he would commit house robberies, rape his victims and rob them of their valuable belongings.
The matter was investigated by Detective Warrant Officer Jan Bezuidenhout of the provincial Serial and Electronic Crimes Unit.
Provincial police spokesperson Brigadier Sam Makhele said in a statement, while investigating the matter, Bezuidenhout noticed that he was dealing with one accused as the modus operandi were the same.
“The victims were between the ages of 16 and 34 years and were staying around Kopanong,” said Makhele.
“Bezuidenhout utilised forensic support to get more clues for analysis. The results thereof eventually placed the accused at the crime scenes,” he added.
During August 2019 the accused was traced in prison while serving a 15-year sentence for the murder of a 68-year-old victim.
The accused broke into the victim’s house and strangled her to death.
He was recently sentenced as follows: for house robbery he was sentenced to seven years; rape seven years, house robbery seven years, house robbery seven years and rape seven years.
The accused was sentenced to a total of 35 years of direct imprisonment.
However, the first count of rape will run concurrently with the fifth one, meaning he will serve an effective 28 years in jail.
