Kimberley – A Galeshewe serial rapist, Christopher Julies, is facing 13 possible life imprisonment sentences after he was found guilty of 34 charges, ranging from raping under-age girls to rape with aggravating circumstances.
In the Northern Cape High Court on Tuesday, the State also requested an additional 10 years for each of the 25 rape charges against Julies.
Julies was found guilty on 34 charges of a sexual nature, committed in various towns in the Northern Cape and in Mahikeng over a period of more than four years.
The rapes took place in Galeshewe, Ritchie, Olifantshoek, Upington, Kathu, Kuruman, Postmasburg, Pampierstad and Mahikeng from August 2011 until Julies’ arrest on February 22, 2015.
The last offence was committed about a month before his arrest on January 23, 2015.
There were originally 36 charges against Julies. However, he was found not guilty on one of the charges after the 22-year-old complainant died, while on the last two charges of rape and attempted rape he was found guilty of attempted rape and not guilty of raping his 16-year-old victim, who was on her way home from school in Mmabatho.
Julies, who pleaded not guilty to all charges, told the court on Tuesday that he had been treated unfairly.
“I was treated unfairly by the court. Some of the women withdrew the charges against me. That is an indication that there was amnesty between me and the complainants although they did not want to admit it in court,” said Julies.
Judge President Frans Kgomo told Julies that he had not shown any remorse for his actions nor had he told the court the reason why he had committed the crimes.
“Only two complainants withdrew their cases. Up until today you have not indicated whether you have a problem. Some of the complainants were crying in court, while others had to testify through an intermediary. Thirty-four women said you raped them but you deny it and say they are wrongfully accusing you. One of the complainants is a lesbian woman. Why would she be interested in you, a man, when she was only seeing women,” asked Kgomo.
Julies, however, remained adamant, claiming that the women had lied in their testimony.
“I think they were all acting during their testimony. Anyone can come to court and cry. That way they are seen as innocent. The court has not taken my testimony into consideration. Not one of my versions was regarded as credible. I was treated unfairly,” he said.
Advocate Ronewa Makhaga, representing the State, said that years after the incidents had taken place the complainants were still traumatised by what had happened to them.
“The traumatic effect this had on the victims was clear when they testified. Complainant number three, after four years and three months following the incident, cried throughout her testimony. The same applied for complainant number 11. She cried so much that the court at that time had to adjourn to afford her an opportunity to compose herself,” said Makhaga.
He stated that the accused had planned his acts carefully.
“It is clear these offences were premeditated. The timing was planned because the accused pounced when the women were alone. The offences occurred at night, during broad daylight and in the morning. The accused also deceived the complainants as he used a strategy of asking them to accompany him to take money to his wife or girlfriend. He used this strategy at least seven different times."
“Another strategy he used was that he would ask for water to drink from the complainants and once he had established that they were alone at home, he would then attack them. Two of the complainants were raped inside their own homes, during broad daylight, after they gave the complainant water. The other offences were committed as the women were walking home or about to enter their homes.
“He also planned properly because he would walk with the complainants as if they were lovers. The complainant in count seven said the accused gave her a hug in public. The complainant in count 21 said the same thing, testifying that the accused had told her to walk with him as if they are lovers. This strategy was designed so that he did not attract the attention of other people.”
Julies, throughout the trial, maintained that he had been a “gentleman” as he would lay down a piece of clothing on the ground before he had sexual intercourse with the complainants.
Makhaga, however, pointed out that his actions were far from those of a gentleman.
“The accused laid down the piece of clothing for the complainants in order to create the impression that the incident had not taken place. He also dusted the women off after raping them. One of the complainants indicated that her boyfriend did not believe her after she told him she had been raped as her clothing were not torn.”
Makhaga said the accused also did not have a certain age preference as he also targeted under-age girls.
“Nine of the rapes were committed on children who were under the age of 18 years. The youngest complainant was 13-years-old. Some of the under-age complainants were on their way to school when they were approached and raped by the accused. They were dragged and assaulted by him. They indicated to the court that they had lost their virginity and sustained various injuries because of the incidents."
“In one incident, Julies even boasted to his victim that he had taken her virginity. The complainant said the incident was long and painful. She testified that when she refused to kiss the accused, he hit her with his open hand.”
He added that the woman now also ran the risk of contracting sexual diseases.
“The accused never used a condom in any of the incidents, even if the complainants asked him to do so. He exposed all the complainants to sexually transmitted diseases. The complainant in count 15 said the accused even told her that he wanted a baby with her,” said Makhaga.
He pointed out further that Julies had not taken responsibility for his actions.
“The complainants had to relive the ordeal when they testified in court. Some of them were referred to as prostitutes as the accused said he gave them payment for sex.”
Julies’ lawyer, Theo Fourie, conceded that the State had “all the ammunition” against his client and requested the court to consider the fact that Julies had no previous convictions as a mitigating factor.
Kgomo, however, disputed that argument.
“You cannot say because the accused has no previous convictions this should be seen as a mitigating factor. He is a first offender but was a serial offender. The crux of the matter is that we see a lot of crimes against women, particularly these days. We as men are the ones committing these crimes.”
He also said that he did not regard Julies’ actions as that of a gentleman.
“A knife was used in all the acts, that is not very gentleman-like thing to do. One of the complainants urinated herself because the accused refused to let her relieve herself. That also is not a sign of being a gentlemen,” Kgomo said.
The matter has been postponed for sentencing.