Gang of thugs get 318 years for rape and robbery

A gang of six men, aged between 22 and 27, was sentenced to 318 years in jail for countless cases of rape and robbery committed just outside Soweto in South Africa.

When sentencing the men, the Johannesburg High Court showed no mercy. The court gave the group's supposed leader, 27-year old Vincent Mabunda, a jail sentence of 117 years. The sentence includes 75 years for three counts of rape and 42 years for a number of robberies. The other members each received sentences ranging from 24 years to 90 years. One of the gang's first rape victims was a 39-year-old domestic worker. She was raped in 2007 by Mabunda and fellow gang members Joseph Rampou, 24, and Boikhutso Rutwane, 22. The trio were arrested but released on bail. During this time the men struck again, this time with three others. Police spokesman Captain Mbulaheni Netshivhodza told iol.co.za: "They were actually a gang of six that terrorised communities around Lenasia, near Soweto. They raped and robbed in open spaces where people walked." According to police, the thugs did not use weapons and targeted vulnerable women who could be easily threatened. The men were arrested in August 2007 after a tip-off from the community. "With the help of the local community, justice has been served and six criminals have been taken out of our midst," said Netshivhodza. "Police worked hard in building a strong case and together with prosecutions made sure that the accused were sent away for a long time."