No bail for men facing 43 rape charges
The two men alleged to have committed 43 counts of rape were denied bail in the Pretoria North Magistrate’s Court.
|||Pretoria - The two men alleged to have committed up to 43 counts of rape in the Brits and Pretoria areas were denied bail in the Pretoria North Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday.
The men, aged 37 and 40, are facing 20 charges of kidnapping, robbery and rape within the Pretoria area, 13 similar charges in Brits and 10 more incidents to be added on.
During the bail application the police noted that they were still seeking more victims so that all 43 charges can be formally brought against the men.
In considering the men’s application, magistrate Motlhoki Rapulane said that against the background of the seriousness and number of cases against the two, there had to be exceptional circumstances for bail to be granted.
She said both men had stated in their affidavits that they were the sole breadwinners for their families and were employed,but in no way that would assure their arrival for trial.
“Saying that you have fixed addresses is no assurance to this court that you will indeed show up for trial considering the magnitude of the charges and possible sentence that might be given to you both,” she said.
“You can’t just claim that you do not know where the women are or stay and therefore will not intimidate them. If anything, both of you had a set modus operandi of exactly where to seek out the unsuspecting women,” said Rapulane.
The magistrate noted that the men had evaded arrest by police for three years and were only captured when one of the cellphones they had stolen and later sold was traced back to them.
She said the court had to also consider that both men had already been denied bail in the Brits Magistrate's Court.
After denying both men bail, Rapulane noted that the State would approach the Director of Public Prosecutions with a view to centralising all charges and also to have a video used for trial proceedings.
The trial is set to start on May 31.
Some of the men’s victims celebrated outside the court room after the men were denied bail.
“We’re happy that they won’t be out there hurting anyone else.
“This is not the end but for now we got what we wanted,” said one of the women.
goitsemang.tlhabye@inl.co.za
Pretoria News