She has been working tirelessly on a case and, at last, Sgt Zelpha Seema\u2019s hard work has been rewarded.<\/p>\n
The Germiston FCS (Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences) Unit member is thrilled with the sentences handed down to Phindile Gononda (32) in the Palm Ridge Magistrates Court, recently.<\/p>
Gononda was on trial for two separate incidents; the first a rape, and the second a rape and robbery.<\/p>\n
The crimes took place in 2009 and he was arrested in the same year.<\/p>
However, a mix-up with the docket at court saw him being released, and after Seema was given the docket to investigate she managed to trace him to Thokoza and he was rearrested in 2014.<\/p>\n
\u201cI positively linked his DNA to both cases,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe targeted the women in JG Strydom Street, in Brackendowns, Alberton, as they were walking to work and forced them into the veld and raped them.\u201d<\/p>\n
Gononda was jailed for 25 years on the first rape charge, and 25 years for rape and five years for robbery in the second case, to run concurrently.<\/p>\n
\u201cI am very happy about the conviction,\u201d Seema said.<\/p>\n
\u201cEven though it won\u2019t bring back what he took from those women, it is good to see that justice was served.\u201d<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Other articles you may be interested in:<\/p>\n
Rapist receives life in prison<\/a><\/p>\n Afrikaanse Ho\u00ebrskool Germiston pupil has gone missing<\/a><\/p>\n