Convicted rapist in Pretoria hotel minors’ rape case changes tact
Recently, the 45-year-old accused of raping two minor girls accused requested for a postponement of the guilty plea stating he was not happy with his lawyer.
The families of two minors who were allegedly raped by a 45-year-old man at a Pretoria hotel fear that the case might be dragged out as the accused recently changed his plea.
On Tuesday, the accused appeared in the Pretoria magistrate’s court and instead of pleading guilty, he requested a new lawyer.
The man, who was previously convicted of rape before this case, said he was not happy with how the Legal Aid lawyer represented him in the plea bargain processes with the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA).
In a previous court appearance on October 25, the accused indicated that he would plead guilty on two charges of rape of the two minor girls, aged 11 and 13. He was also denied a lenient sentence plea by the NPA.
The accused wanted the kidnapping charges against him withdrawn and wanted only to face rape charges.
The case has been postponed to December 7.
The man was accused of kidnapping the girls from Lotus Gardens near Atteridgeville before taking them to a liquor store then went to book a room at the Pretoria Hotel, where he allegedly raped both girls.
Hotel patrons and staff called police after the 11-year-old went knocking on the hotel room doors, saying they had been raped. The man was found wearing pants, which had what looked like blood suspected to be that of the minors.
Families of the minors speaking to the Rekord after court, said they were surprised by the accused’s move in court of wanting a new lawyer.
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“We feel as if he wants to delay the process to his trial,” the mother of the 11-year-old victim, who cannot be named to protect the girl, said.
She said in the plea bargain process, the accused wanted the parents to forgive him and withdraw the 10-years of kidnapping and only for him to face two life sentences for raping the minors.
“I do not want those charges dropped because the kidnapping is the foundation of the crime he committed against the children.
“In court, he told the magistrate that he had money for a private lawyer and no longer wanted the legal aid lawyer. The magistrate gave him two weeks to find a lawyer and if he fails, she said then the prosecutors will go ahead with the trial,” she said.
“I feel that what he is doing is delaying the process by wanting a new lawyer.”
She said the accused was disrespectful in court.
“This is traumatising me as an adult because with every appearance, things change. It gets confusing and leaves us frustrated.”
She said she hoped that the parents would be given time to prepare before giving impact statements in court.
“We feel a lot of pain. It is a constant reminder of what happened to our children and I would like to see the process come to an end.”
Lettie Mthombeni, a Lotus Gardens community activist who was present in court, said she “was heartbroken to see the accused showing no remorse at all but rather arrogance”.
“I felt like he was blaming the judge for being in prison and did not have access to funds for a private lawyer. He seemed to forget how he got there.
“In court, he showed no shame in his expressions. He threw his hands around and was just disrespectful. It was heartbreaking to see.”
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