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The South African
22-05-2025
- The South African
Mamelodi serial rapist got over 400 years [video]
The Pretoria High Court sentenced a 34-year-old serial rapist from Mamelodi to 491 years in prison for committing 19 rapes, 15 housebreakings, aggravated robberies, and other related offences. Doctor Nkurube Maruma appeared before the Pretoria High Court on Wednesday 21 May, where Judge Mashudu Munzhelele handed down the sentence. The court ruled that the sentences would run concurrently with a life imprisonment term. The court also declared Maruma unfit to possess a firearm. Read the full version of the ' Mamelodi serial rapist gets 491 years in jail' article. Despite pleading not guilty and denying all allegations, the state linked Maruma to the crimes using DNA evidence. Prosecutor Advocate Vusimuzi Tshabalala led compelling testimonies from victims, many of whom described harrowing attacks carried out in their homes. Looking for quick updates? Watch News in a Minute videos on The South African's YouTube page for all the key stories you need to know! Catch all the latest videos on news, lifestyle, travel, sports and more – there's always something to watch! Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and BlueSky to stay connected and get your news on the go!
The South African
22-05-2025
- The South African
Mamelodi serial rapist gets 491 years in jail
The Pretoria High Court sentenced a 34-year-old serial rapist from Mamelodi to 491 years in prison for committing 19 rapes, 15 housebreakings, aggravated robberies, and other related offences Doctor Nkurube Maruma appeared before the Pretoria High Court on Wednesday 21 May, where Judge Mashudu Munzhelele handed down the sentence. The court ruled that the sentences would run concurrently with a life imprisonment term. The court also declared Maruma unfit to possess a firearm. Despite pleading not guilty and denying all allegations, the state linked Maruma to the crimes using DNA evidence. Prosecutor Advocate Vusimuzi Tshabalala led compelling testimonies from victims, many of whom described harrowing attacks carried out in their homes. Maruma's reign of terror occurred between October 2017 and August 2022. He initially committed crimes in Limpopo before relocating to Pretoria, where he continued with the same violent methods. Maruma made a 38-year-old woman his oldest victim and raped a 15-year-old girl in the presence of her mother, making her his youngest. During sentencing, Maruma's legal representative asked the court to deviate from the prescribed minimum sentences, citing his young age at the time of the offences and a difficult upbringing. However, Advocate Tshabalala opposed the request, noting that Maruma was 26 years old when he began offending and was fully aware of his actions. Maruma laughed and mocked victims during their testimonies and claimed that witchcraft caused his actions. Judge Munzhelele agreed with the state that Maruma showed no remorse and had no regard for the suffering of his victims. Maruma targeted women and children, the most vulnerable members of society. He broke into homes at night, threatened victims with weapons, and carried out violent assaults. Police finally arrested Maruma on 14 August 2022. Shortly after he raped another victim and stole three mobile phones and two laptops. The victim alerted a neighbour, who then flagged down a passing police vehicle. Police officers found and arrested Maruma nearby. The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) welcomed the sentence. Acting Director of Public Prosecutions Advocate Marika Jansen Van Vuuren praised the prosecution team for their persistence. 'This landmark sentence sends a powerful message that crimes of gender-based violence (GBV) will be met with the full might of the law,' she said. 'Serial offenders like Maruma have no place in our communities.' Van Vuuren added that the NPA remains committed to protecting the most vulnerable and ensuring that perpetrators of GBV face justice 'without fear or favour'. Let us know by leaving a comment below, or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 021 1 Subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp, Facebook, X and Bluesky for the latest news.
The Citizen
22-05-2025
- The Citizen
Mamelodi serial rapist sentenced to over 400 years in jail
Between 2017 and 2022, Doctor Nkurube Maruma robbed homes and raped victims, the youngest being 15 years old. A 34-year-old Mamelodi serial rapist's reign of terror in which he broke into numerous households, robbing his victims and then raping women while threatening them with a weapon has received a jail term of over 400 years. Doctor Nkurube Maruma appeared in the Pretoria High Court on Wednesday, where the sentence was handed down. Jail term The serial rapist received 491 years in prison for 19 rapes, 15 housebreakings and robberies with aggravated circumstances and other related charges. The court ordered that the sentences run concurrently with the life imprisonment term, with Maruma declared unfit to possess a firearm. ALSO READ: Man arrested for using fake Facebook profile to lure, kidnap, and rape women Court proceedings National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) spokesperson Lumka Mahanjana said the serial rapist pleaded not guilty and denied all allegations. 'However, the prosecutor Advocate Vusimuzi Tshabalala presented DNA evidence linking Maruma to the crimes and led compelling testimonies from the victims. During sentencing, Maruma, through his legal representative, asked the court to deviate from imposing the prescribed minimum sentences because he was young when committing the offences and could not fully comprehend the magnitude of his offences.' Mitigation Maruma asked the court to consider his unfortunate upbringing when imposing the sentence. However, Tshabalala opposed the request, arguing that Maruma was 26 years old when he began offending, fully aware of his actions, and showed no remorse for the offences because Maruma laughed and mocked victims during their testimonies, claiming to be bewitched. Tshabalala said, the serial rapist preyed on women and children who are regarded as the most vulnerable people in society by unlawfully entering their houses, robbing and raping them. ALSO READ: Operation Shanela: Police arrest more than 16 000 in just one week 'No remorse' Mahanjana said Judge Mashudu Munzhelele agreed with the state and emphasised that Maruma showed no remorse and mocked victims' suffering during the trial. 'The judge said Maruma was not a productive member of society, he committed crimes instead of seeking honest work and terrorised his community through calculated, repeated criminal acts. 'In addition, Judge Munzhelele said the sentence imposed should send a strong message that Gender-Based Violence (GBV) and similar crimes will not be tolerated. Therefore, the court found no substantial and compelling circumstances to justify a deviation from the prescribed minimum sentences,' Mahanjana said. Reign of Terror Maruma's reign of terror was committed between October 2017 and August 2022. Between 2017 and 2018, Maruma committed these offences in Limpopo province while he was still residing there. Mahanjana said that when Maruma moved to Pretoria, he continued with his modus operandi from 2019 until 2022, when he was arrested. 'During this period, Maruma broke into 15 households, his oldest rape victim was a 38-year-old woman, while his youngest rape victim was a15 year old girl.' Arrest 'On 1 October 2017 at about 02H00 Marumo raped the 38-year-old-woman at her home in Limpopo while she had gone an outside toilet to relive herself. On a different incident Marumo raped the 15-year-old girl in the presence of her mother after he broke into their home in the middle of the night,' Mahanjana said. Maruma was finally arrested on 14 August 2022, shortly after raping and robbing another victim of three cell phones and two laptops. The victim alerted a neighbour, who, while searching the area, stopped a police vehicle that was passing and reported the incident. Police later spotted and arrested Maruma. GBV Acting Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), Advocate Marika Jansen Van Vuuren, commended the prosecutor for his dedication and resilience in securing the conviction. 'This landmark sentence sends a powerful message that crimes of gender-based violence (GBV) will be met with the full might of the law. It reflects the NPA's unwavering commitment to ensuring justice for victims, holding perpetrators accountable, and protecting the most vulnerable members of our society.' Van Vuuren said 'serial offenders' like Maruma have no place in our communities, and the NPA will continue to 'pursue justice without fear or favour'. ALSO READ: Police recover 10 AK-47s at Meyerton taxi rank after shooting
