Cape Town - A women’s rights activist has threatened to beat up the lawyer of a convicted child rapist, claiming lawyers “encourage sex attacks”.
Ludwe Nkomo, of Ilitha Labantu, said the next time he sees the lawyer of paedophile Achmat Benting, he will “strip naked” so he can be raped.
The Khayelitsha organisation came out to protest at the sentencing proceedings of Benting at the Mitchells Plain Regional Court on Thursday.
However, they were left disappointed when the matter was postponed once again.
Benting’s lawyer, William Booth, was not present and his representative Anthony Benito told the court Booth would only be available in October.
But an irritated Magistrate Ivan Munnik would have none of this, and insisted that the matter be finalised later this month.
Munnik then set sentencing for September 28.
Benting, 60, was in May already found guilty of raping and sexually assaulting his neighbour’s children – aged between seven and 14 – inside his Beacon Valley home between 2010 and 2012.
Benting sexually groomed his victims by giving them money and showering them with gifts.
After court proceedings, the victims’ families along with members of Ilitha Labantu chanted outside the court.
They swooped on Benito while he was walking to his car, ringing a bell in his ears and shoving their banners in his face.
“Down with Achmat Benting, down!” the worked up crowd shouted.
An unperturbed Benito got into his car and lit up a cigarette.
A fuming Ludwe said it was wrong for lawyers to represent rapists.
Ludwe said: “A lawyer who comes to court to represent a rapist, is a rapist.
“The problem with these lawyers is that they are championing that rape must continue.”
Ludwe then threatened violence the next time Benting’s lawyers came to court.
“On the day of sentencing we will block off the road and we will wait and beat him and show him our anger and the police can come and arrest us,” he said.
“Even after the sentencing, I will walk after him and strip naked here in the street so he can rape me.”
Another activist, Noluthukela Lizwe, said the justice system is too soft on rapists: “The law must let the women decide what must happen to rapists, then there will be no more rapists, we will cut their penises bit by bit.”
Daily Voice