A Cape Town man, South Africa, has been sentenced to six life terms and an additional 50 years in prison after being found guilty of a string of violent crimes, including the r@pe of six women, some of whom were attacked at gunpoint in a cemetery.
Lungile Buhlungu, 40, a father of six, was sentenced on Wednesday, June 19, by the high court in Cape Town for crimes committed between 2014 and 2019 in Delft.
The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) praised the bravery of the six victims who testified in camera during an emotional trial. “Their bravery should be commended as this has led not only to the conviction of a serial rapist but also to protecting the community and women from the spree of destruction by the accused,” said NPA spokesperson Eric Ntabazalila.
Buhlungu was convicted on six counts of r@pe, two counts of assault with intent to cause grievous bodily harm, four counts of kidnapping, one count of robbery with aggravating circumstances, and one count of illegal possession of a firearm. He received a life sentence for each r@pe count. The remaining charges earned him additional years: five years for each assault and kidnapping count, 15 years for the robbery, and five years for the firearm offence.
The first three victims were attacked on July 11, 2014, when Buhlungu and an accomplice, both armed, forced them into bushes and took turns r@ping them. They were released the following morning.
The fourth victim was attacked on October 5, 2017, while walking home. She was later found unconscious and naked in a cemetery with injuries to her head and eye. Knowing the accused from their shared informal settlement, she later relocated out of the province to escape the trauma.
The final two victims were assaulted on May 12, 2018. They were driven to the Delft graveyard and r@ped at gunpoint. Both later testified that their lives and personal relationships had been deeply affected by the assault.
Despite DNA evidence linking him to the crimes, Buhlungu pleaded not guilty, claiming he was in prison in 2014 and that the 2017 and 2018 incidents involved consensual sex. His defence was rejected by the court.
The state led expert evidence from Lt-Col Elmarie Alta Myburgh, a specialist in sexual offences investigations and risk assessment, who testified that Buhlungu posed a high risk of reoffending.
The court also ordered that Buhlungu be psychologically evaluated by correctional services to determine whether he would benefit from intervention programs targeting sexual behaviour.
Ntabazalila said the victims are still haunted by nightmares and emotional trauma. “They cried during the trial as they faced their rapist,” he said, underscoring the enduring impact of the crimes and the significance of their testimony in securing justice.
