Johannesburg - Alleged serial rapist Justice Albert Morake forced a teenage couple to walk more than four kilometres to a veld where he allegedly raped the girl.
Morake was apparently accompanied by an accomplice when he, armed with a firearm, pounced on their victims while they were standing in a street in Ivory Park, near Tembisa.
Morake and his accomplice, who was never arrested, approached the couple. The accused allegedly pointed a firearm at them. The accomplice then robbed the male victim of his cellphone. Later, they ordered the couple to walk for more than 40 minutes to the nearby suburb of Rabie Ridge. The pair followed the victims.
This was evidence led in the South Gauteng High Court, sitting at the Palm Ridge Magistrate’s Court, on Thursday.
The male victim told the court that upon arrival at the scene, the accused removed shoelaces from his sneakers and tied his hands while he was lying on his stomach on the ground. The 20-year-old man explained that his girlfriend was taken to another spot - not far from him - where she was allegedly raped by the two men.
He said Morake was the first to rape his girlfriend.
However, during cross-examination, Morake’s defence advocate Dumisani Mkhwanzi said his client would tell the court that he never raped the teen, nor robbed the boyfriend of his cellphone.
He said Morake would further tell the court that the boyfriend mistakenly identified him as their alleged attacker during an identify parade. He would also tell the court that his face might have been familiar to the victim’s because he lived in the same area as they did.
Morake, 34, pleaded not guilty earlier this week to 175 charges he is facing. These charges include:
* 53 counts of kidnapping.
* 27 of robbery with aggravating circumstances.
* 34 of rape.
* 12 of sexual offences and related matters.
* Two of attempted murder.
* Four of grievous bodily harm.
* Seven of theft.
* Eight of unlawful possession of ammunition.
* Eight of unlawful possession of a firearm.
Mkhwanzi told the witness that Morake has never been in possession of a fireman and would never have pointed at him with an firearm.
However, the witness was adamant about his testimony.
Earlier, the court heard that the girlfriend, who was meant to testify on Thursday, was taken to hospital in the morning.
The trial continues.
The Star