Courts

MBABANE – Members of the public have welcomed the sentencing of the married Mozambican man who raped 12 young girls in Mbabane over a period of five years.

Judge Mbutfo Mamba sentenced Carlos Nhambombe (51) to 48 years without an option of a fine yesterday. The sentence was backdated to December 5, 2012, which is the date of his arrest.

Most of those who took to social media, after Nhambombe was sentenced, welcomed the sentence and expressed that they wished he received an even harsher sentence – even the death sentence. Others said, considering that he had raped minor children, he did not deserve to be released at all. 

When sentencing the convict, Judge Mamba described his deeds as satanic. “You are 51 years old and married with children. The court has to look at what you did. You raped 12 minor children. You took advantage of the fact that you were an elder to them, also of their respect of their respect for elder people. They were willing to help you with the fake stories you presented to them.

“Not only did you rape them, but you also used violence to achieve your satanic deeds. Even absent the violence that you perpetrated on these young and innocent individuals, rape on its own is an abominable act. Whether it’s committed against an adult or a minor, it just remains an abomination. In your case, it was not a once-off incident, it went on for a period of five years.

“Whatever your sexual urges, you were a married man, you had a wife, whatever sexual rights you had, you had to exercise with her, not with minor children. It is a pity that these acts of yours, prowling on young girls around Mbabane, were not detected on time,” said the judge.

According to Judge Mamba, the police in this case acted woefully bad. The judge said even a first-year constable, trained properly, would have detected Nhambombe’s criminal acts. “Let’s say, at least after three incidents, the police could have done something to get you. They practically did nothing until you were spotted by one *Sindi at the government hospital.

“Whatever the shortcomings of the police,that does not absolve you from what you did. To emphasise the seriousness with, which society regard crimes of rape, the legislature amended the Criminal Procedure and Evidence Act and stipulated that, where aggravating factors are found to be present, a minimum of nine years should be meted.”

In Nhambombe’s case, the court made the ruling recently that there are aggravating factors on all 12 convictions. The aggravating factors are in the form of violence, the complaints being repeatedly raped and others being minors. There was only one complainant who was 19 years and others were below the age of 18.

Full article available in our publication.

Carlos Nhambombe (51) of Mozambique has been sentenced to 48 years for raping 12 young girls in Mbabane over a period of five years. (Pic: Sibusiso Shange)