KEY POINTS
- Mamelodi resident Mpho Mokoena receives life sentence for 2014 gang rape of male acquaintance at Silverton cemetery
- Court rejects defense’s leniency plea citing perpetrator’s criminal history and brutality of premeditated attack
- Case highlights South Africa’s evolving legal approach to gender-neutral sexual violence legislation
The Pretoria Regional Court has sentenced Mpho Mokoena, 40, to life imprisonment for the 2014 gang rape and kidnapping of a 35-year-old man in a case that highlights South Africa’s ongoing struggle with violent sexual crimes regardless of gender.
Mokoena, from Mamelodi East, lured his victim – a casual acquaintance – into a vehicle under false pretenses before committing the assault at a Silverton cemetery with accomplices who remain unidentified.
“Upon arrival, the perpetrators forcibly removed the victim from the vehicle, held him against it, and Mokoena proceeded to rape him, causing severe injuries,” said National Prosecuting Authority spokesperson Lumka Mahanjana.
IOL reports that the attack left the victim with such severe injuries he required immediate hospitalization at Mamelodi Hospital.
Police investigations led to Mokoena’s initial arrest after his mother turned him in, though he later absconded during trial proceedings.
Repeat offender’s violent history seals harsh sentence
State Prosecutor Anton Burger successfully argued against leniency, presenting Mokoena’s criminal record showing four theft convictions and one for drug possession.
“The gender of the victim should not influence sentencing, as minimum sentence legislation applies equally to all victims,” Burger told the court, emphasizing the calculated brutality of the crime.
Magistrate Mncube agreed, noting Mokoena had “exploited the trust of the victim, who had considered him a friend” and found no justification for reducing the mandatory life sentence. The NPA welcomed the judgment as reinforcing South Africa’s tough stance on sexual violence following recent high-profile cases.
Legal experts note this sentencing comes amid increased focus on male rape cases in South Africa, where an estimated 1 in 20 men experience sexual violence according to recent Medical Research Council studies.
