Pretoria - Women who fell victim to a serial rapist north of Pretoria were so desperate to find work that they never questioned him when he lured them to secluded spots under the pretence of finding them employment.
It was only when he raped them at knife-point that they realised the “good Samaritan’s” intentions.
On Monday nine women relived their ordeals in the high court in Pretoria at the hands of Isaac Dibetso, 43, of Ga-Rankuwa.
All had the same story to tell of a well-dressed man with good manners who promised to find them work.
Dibetso was convicted on nine counts or rape, nine of kidnapping and nine of robbery with aggravating circumstances. He did not show any emotion as Judge Jody Kollapen told him there was no doubt he was the man who attacked the defenceless women.
“You used the same modus operandi by making empty promises of work. You then lured them to secluded spots. All these women were desperate for work. Although you deny any involvement, it was you,” the judge said.
Dibetso initially escaped from Ga-Rankuwa Magistrate’s Court shortly after his arrest in 2012. He was on the run for about two months before he was rearrested.
He fired his lawyer on Monday shortly after his conviction. During his trial he refused to have his fingerprints taken.
The State has asked the court to order that his fingerprints be taken, with or without his permission.
Judge Kollapen explained the situation to Dibetso, who said he did not have a problem with this, but did not feel like providing his fingerprints at that stage.
Dibetso raped several women in Akasia, Ga-Rankuwa and Pretoria North between May and September 2012. He targeted those who were looking for work, telling them he had a friend who owned a factory and he could secure them jobs.
They often travelled by taxi to areas north of Pretoria, where Dibetso promised to introduce them to their prospective employer.
His charming manner turned to aggression as they walked near secluded spots. The victims said he took out a knife or screwdriver and threatened them.
They were brutally raped, and in most cases they were tied up with their own garments or underwear.
Their mouths were also gagged.
In some instances the women were tied to trees and had to be rescued by passers-by.
One of the victims said she was so desperate to find work that she walked from door to door, asking for employment. She was approached by a neatly dressed man who said a family member was looking for a domestic worker.
She was so excited that she followed him. When they got to a secluded bushy area, he pulled her inside and raped her.
Dibetso persisted that he was not the rapist, but he was linked to each incident via DNA evidence. Many of the victims also identified him as their attacker. One alleged victim refused to come to court and Dibetso was acquitted on that charge.
Sentencing procedures will commence on October 19.
Pretoria News