By: Natasha Archary

Petetona Abel Lebele, dubbed the “Tsakane graveyard rapist” has been found guilty of four counts of rape and four counts of kidnapping.
Tsakane is a township located in Ekurhuleni, Gauteng.
The 43-year old targeted his victims when they were on their way to school or work, with his youngest victim being just 7-years old.
On Monday, 17 April, the Pretoria High Court sitting in Benoni found Lebele guilty of the rapes and kidnapping of four females, aged 7, 13, 16 and 32.
Lebele told the court how he would grab and drag his victims to the Tsakane cemetery where he would rape them.
National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) spokesperson, Lumka Mahanjana said Lebele lured his young rape victims with sweets.
“The first girl, the youngest, was lured with sweets on 19 January 2017. He told her to come collect sweets, but she refused and started running. Lebele caught up to her, dragged her to the cemetery and raped her.
The older woman, had her 2-year old child on her back when she was raped by Lebele on 19 August 2019. Her child was thrown to the ground by Lebele who then proceeded to rape the mother.”
The Tsakane graveyard rapist has two previous convictions, one for theft in 2015, and another for robbery in 2008.
Lebele’s case was postponed to 19 April for sentencing.
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