A South African man, Sello Abram Mapunya, has been sentenced to 1,088 years in prison for allegedly raping and robbing 56 women across Pretoria suburbs for five years.

The 33-year-old was convicted by a Pretoria high court on Thursday on grounds of 41 rape cases and 40 separate housebreakings as well as assault with the intent to commit grievous bodily harm, robbery and theft.

South African Times reported that while Mapunya was committing these crimes, he lived with his girlfriend, eight-year-old son and a four-year-old daughter in Pretoria at the time.

Most of the women he attacked hailed from Tshwane’s suburbs of Nellmapius, Mamelodi, Silverton, Olievenhoutbosch and Atteridgeville.

His youngest victim, a 14-year-old girl, was attacked while walking home with a friend in Olievenhoutbosch.
His eldest victim was 55.

Mapunya who was initially charged with 101 different crimes began his crime spree in 2014 and it ended in March 2019 after he was arrested by detectives from the serial electronic crimes investigation unit.

Judge Papi Mosopa sentenced the convict to 1,088 years in prison after he was found guilty of 41 rapes, 40 counts of robbery with aggravating circumstances and 40 counts of housebreaking.

Mosopa said none of the sentences would run concurrently. He sentenced Mapunya to life terms for raping his teenage victim and three other women who he raped multiple times.

Condemning “evil” to an eternity behind bars, Mosopa said Mapunya was “hell-bent” on infringing on society’s most vulnerable and their right to dignity and security. “He failed to show any remorse,” said Mosopa.

His youngest victim, Refilwe Selamolela who is now 19 and agreed to be identified, said she had spent years asking herself why men raped and hurt women.

Thuleleni Mtsweni, who was beaten over the head with a hammer and raped by Mapunya in her Nellmapius home, said some victims had almost lost their lives.