Africa-Press – South-Africa. A Mpumalanga man has been handed four life sentences and an additional 15 years after being convicted of the rape and murder of women he lured to his house using Facebook.
Vusi Donald Bhuda was sentenced in the Mpumalanga High Court in Middelburg on one count of murder and three counts of rape.
Mpumalanga National Prosecuting Authority spokesperson Monica Nyuswa said Bhuda’s modus operandi was to invite women he met on Facebook to his home under the pretext that there would be a ceremony, and that he wanted to introduce them to his family as his girlfriends.
She said Bhuda met two of his victims on Facebook and raped them more than once. All the incidents happened in KwaMhlanga between May to June 2020.
According to Nyuswa, Bhuda pleaded guilty to all the charges and explained in his plea that the murder victim, Nonhlanhla Maseko, was his girlfriend who he killed in a fit of rage.
Bhuda said that, on 4 May 2020, Maseko visited him at his home. While she was there, an altercation started between them after she received a call from a male friend, which had angered him.
Nyuswa said:
“After realising the deceased was no longer breathing, he took her lifeless body to the bridge at R573 road, where it was later discovered.
“He then took her belongings like cellphones, bank cards, shoes, and her T-shirt.”
Post-mortem results showed that Maseko had been strangled to death.
Bhuda also stated that, on 21 June 2020, he had invited another woman he met on Facebook to his home.
He told her that there was going to be a ceremony at his residence.
“When the deceased came, he took her to his room. While sitting on the bed, he threatened her with a toy gun, ordered her to undress and raped her more than once.
“He continued with his evil deed again on 23 June 2020, on a different victim with the same modus operandi, where he raped her.”
According to Nyuswa, victim impact statements compiled by those attacked, and facilitated by Court Preparation Officer Given Mampye, were handed in.
In their statements, Bhuda’s victims said the incidents had left them traumatised and heartbroken.
Prosecutor Gertrude Nkosi addressed the court about the scourge of gender-based violence, saying violence against women and children was a shameful human rights violation which knew no boundaries of geography, wealth or culture.
Judge Thando Mankge sentenced Bhuda to life imprisonment on each count of rape, life imprisonment for murder, and another 15 years for robbery with aggravating circumstances.
“The NPA welcomes the sentence and hopes that it will send a stern warning that the criminal justice system will deal harshly with the perpetrators of gender-based violence,” Mpumalanga Director of Public Prosecutions Nkebe Kanyane said.
“We further encourage Facebook users always to be vigilant of the people they communicate with, and more so when they decide to meet with them on Facebook.”
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