HIV-positive serial rapist sentenced to nine life sentences plus 158 years

He threatened his victims with a knife and was linked to the crimes through DNA.

There is a Xhosa saying that goes “ugwetywe udilika jele” which loosely translated means a person stays in prison until the actual prison walls collapse.

Xolani Gcelu (34) received such a punishment.

Xolani, aware of his HIV-positive status, raped young women between the ages of 17 and 26 in the neighboring villages of Sidwadweni and Zandukwana near Tsolo district between March 2016 and June 2019.

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“His modus operandi was to threaten the women with a knife and take them to remote areas or unfinished building structures where he would rape them and rob them of their belongings, including mobile phones and cash. He was linked to all rape allegations through DNA as all victims reported their attacks immediately and were therefore referred for medical treatment in a timely manner,” the Mthatha High Court heard.

Xolani was arrested after attacking two women.

The court heard he raped her while threatening her with a knife and simultaneously forcing her to perform sexual acts on each other. Although they did not know Gcelu, they managed to describe him to their older brothers, who tracked him down and handed him over to the police.

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During the trial he challenged the procedure used when buccal samples were taken during his DNA comparison. He further claimed he had romantic relationships with five of the victims and bought alcohol for others in exchange for sex.

Judge Buyiswa Majiki concluded that Xolani was not a truthful witness and said there were no substantial and compelling circumstances to deviate from the mandatory minimum sentence of life imprisonment for the rapes.

Xolani was sentenced to life in prison for each of the nine rape counts and an additional 158 years for rape, kidnapping, robbery and attempted murder for his four-year reign.