eMbalenhle teacher’s trial as alleged serial rapist resumes
Man allegedly targeted young women who were hitchhiking in different towns around the Govan Mbeki Municipality.
The trial of a local teacher who is allegedly a serial rapist resumed in the Evander Regional Court on October 23, with the first victim requesting the court to testify in camera.
Magistrate Charmaine la Marque said the Criminal Procedure Act allows victims to testify in camera and it was the girl’s right to do so.
La Marque then asked the public and the media to leave the court gallery as the witness requested. The accused was arrested three years ago after women from different areas opened cases of abduction and rape.
The teacher allegedly targeted young women who were hitchhiking in different towns around the Govan Mbeki Municipality.
He allegedly stopped his car next to his first victim, hitchhiking from Evander to eMbalenhle, and offered her a lift.
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According to the police report, the man allegedly told her he was going to eMbalenhle, but after she got into the car, she noted they were taking the Secunda route.
He turned the car into a nearby veld along the way and allegedly raped her inside the car. Two other women from Leandra and Kinross respectively, were also raped in the same manner, allegedly by the same accused.
The suspect was arrested after another woman also reported being raped. The teacher was traced and apprehended.
The suspect was allegedly using a maroon Toyota Corolla when committing these crimes. He is facing six counts of kidnapping and six counts of rape.
The accused represents himself after being dumped by his attorneys on different occasions when appearing in court.
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