“No Remorse, No Mercy”: Zimbabwean Man Sentenced to Life for Brutal Rape and Robbery in Pretoria

A 32-year-old Zimbabwean national has been sentenced to life in prison for the rape of a woman who was out jogging on Kloof Street in Pretoria West in 2020. The Pretoria Magistrate’s Court handed down the sentence to Mulero Nyangero, also imposing an additional five-year sentence for robbery with aggravating circumstances. The sentences will run concurrently.

The court declared Nyangero unfit to possess a firearm, underscoring the severity of the crimes and his disregard for human dignity.

According to National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) spokesperson, Lumka Mahanjana, the victim was ambushed by three men while jogging on the afternoon of 14 August 2020. The assailants dragged her into the nearby bush, where Nyangero raped her while the others assaulted her and threatened her with a knife. After forcing her to transfer money via cellphone banking, they tied her hands and fled.

Miraculously, the woman managed to free herself and find help, later reporting the incident at the Pretoria West Police Station. Following an investigation, Nyangero was arrested months later on 21 February 2021 at a local tavern and has remained in custody since.

Despite pleading not guilty, Nyangero was convicted after state prosecutor Advocate Chester Molaba presented convincing testimony from the victim and investigating officers. During sentencing, Nyangero’s legal team argued for a lighter sentence, citing his role as a father and the time already spent in custody.

But Molaba insisted on the mandatory life sentence, stating Nyangero had shown no remorse, and his crimes were “inhumane, vicious, and brutal.” Magistrate Themba Ndwandwe agreed, saying Nyangero treated the victim “like an animal” and demonstrated a complete lack of respect for women.

“No substantial or compelling circumstances exist to justify deviating from the minimum sentence,” ruled Magistrate Ndwandwe.

The Acting Director of Public Prosecutions in Gauteng, Advocate Marika Jansen Van Vuuren, praised the ruling and applauded the efforts of both the prosecutor and the investigating officer, Captain Mkhonto.

“This sentence reaffirms the NPA’s commitment to tackling gender-based violence,” she said.

This case follows a string of similar convictions. In a separate case last year, a 28-year-old man from Akasia was also sentenced to life imprisonment for raping his girlfriend’s 12-year-old sister.

The Pretoria rape sentencing highlights the judiciary’s strong stance on gender-based violence and sends a clear message that such crimes will not be tolerated. With victims finding justice and perpetrators held accountable, the courts are reinforcing South Africa’s broader fight against GBV.

{Source: IOL}

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