The High Court of South Africa, Northern Cape Division sitting in Kimberley, has sentenced Itumeleng Reclin Machabe, aka Bendow (27), to two life terms and 44 years of imprisonment after he was convicted of r3ping and killing 11-year-old Relebogile Segami, raping two other minors and distribution of p0rnographic images of young people.
The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) in a statement on Tuesday, February 18, 2025, said the accused was charged with Count 1: Rape 13 yr female, Count 2: Fraud; Count 3 – 7: Contravention of Section 19(a) of Act 32 of 2007 (exposing or displaying of child p0rnography or p0rnography to a child); Count 8: Crimen Injuria; Count 9: Fraud; Count 10: Crimen Injuria; Count 11: Fraud; Count 12: Contravention of Section 19(a) of Act 32 of 2007 (exposing or displaying of child p0rnography or p0rnography to a child); Count 13: Attempted Extortion; Count 14 – 16: R3pe 15-year-old female; Count 17: Attempted Murder; Count 18: Rape 11- year- old female; Count 19: Murder 11- year- old female.
On 30 March 2022, Relebogile Segami was reported missing by her family, and the police, together with members of the Galeshewe Community, began searching for the young girl. Unfortunately, her body was discovered on 31 March 2022 near the Northern Cape Legislature in Kimberley.
During investigations, the police discovered that Machabe was the last person seen with the victim before her disappearance. The Police promptly managed to arrest Itumeleng Machabe, and he made his first court appearance on 04 April 2022.
The accused pleaded not guilty to all the charges against him. When the accused applied for bail in the Galeshewe District Court, the court heard that the accused was facing another charge of rape of a 15-year-old and that he was out of bail on that matter.
The prosecutions successfully opposed bail application against the accused in this schedule 6 matter, given the seriousness of the charges against him.
During the police investigations into the accused, other victims of the accused came forward to open cases against him. The investigations established that the accused path of terror began as early as 2013,
Upon Machebe’s arrest in 2022, a victim gathered some strength to testify against the accused this time around, even though the crime dates back over 10 years.
During the trial, the prosecution, represented by State Advocate Elmari Kruger, put it to the court that the accused had intentionally targeted minors whom he knew were vulnerable, young, innocent, and naïve. That the accused was not remorseful for all the heinous crimes he had committed against minors and how he had destroyed the lives of not only the victims but their families as well.
The court, through testimonies of the victims and witnesses, heard how the accused had lured victims and how he had utilized social media platforms to use the victims’ compromising photos and published them on his platforms after requesting the nude photos.
The accused pleaded not guilty to all the charges against him. When the accused applied for bail in the Galeshewe District Court, the court heard that the accused was facing another charge of rape of a 15-year-old and that he was out of bail on that matter.
The prosecutions successfully opposed bail application against the accused in this schedule 6 matter, given the seriousness of the charges against him.
During the police investigations into the accused, other victims of the accused came forward to open cases against him. The investigations established that the accused path of terror began as early as 2013,
Upon Machebe’s arrest in 2022, a victim gathered some strength to testify against the accused this time around, even though the crime dates back over 10 years.
During the trial, the prosecution, represented by State Advocate Elmari Kruger, put it to the court that the accused had intentionally targeted minors whom he knew were vulnerable, young, innocent, and naïve. That the accused was not remorseful for all the heinous crimes he had committed against minors and how he had destroyed the lives of not only the victims but their families as well.
The court, through testimonies of the victims and witnesses, heard how the accused had lured victims and how he had utilized social media platforms to use the victims’ compromising photos and published them on his platforms after requesting the nude photos.
In sentencing, the court found the accused guilty on all counts except for count 17 (attempted murder) due to a lack of evidence.
The court sentenced the accused to 2 Life Terms and 44 years imprisonment.
The court also ordered that the name of the accused be registered in the National Register of Sex Offenders. The accused was also declared unfit to possess a firearm. The accused was sentenced on the day Relebogile Segami was to celebrate her 14 years birthday.
