By: Natasha Archary
Self-proclaimed apostle, Hlumelo Dywili has been sentenced to six life terms in prison for the rape of multiple women.
The 35-year old from the district of Mthatha, Eastern Cape lured women under the pretences of being a healer.
Dywili was also sentenced to a further 5-years for forcing one of the woman to bear witness while he raped another victim.
In 2020, Dywili raped a 17-year old epileptic teenager who was brought to him for healing by her parents.
He raped the girl after he sent her parents to go buy “healing materials”. Dywili raped three women in 2021whom he lured under the pretence he could heal them to help them find jobs.
One of the women reportedly responded to the self-proclaimed apostle’s Facebook post.
The woman was staying in Cape Town and Dywili purchased a bus ticket for her to get to him in Mbizana.
When she arrived, Dywili raped her in his car before taking her to his base in Mbizana. There, the woman found that Dywili had two other women he was holding captive.
Hlumelo Dywili is a singer and lay-pastor and isolated his three victims at his base in Mbizana. According to the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), the women became financially dependent on Dywili who raped them repeatedly.
“He threatened the women with a knife he kept under his pillow, and they were subjected to his heavy drinking and violence. The women aged between 23 and 25 were raped repeatedly and on one occasion he forced one of the women to watch while he raped the other two.”
NPA spokesperson revealed details of Dywili’s crimes
Dywili used Facebook and the local community radio station to advertise his services. The Eastern Cape High Court sentenced the self-proclaimed apostle to six life terms on Wednesday, 31 August.
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