Moments after convicted murderer Waleed Karriem was acquitted of rape, he turned to the only person seated in the gallery yesterday and asked for a hug.
Gail Steyn reached into the dock and threw her arms around her son.
“You would have been a free man today,” she said. “If only you didn’t do that to my sister.”
Earlier this month, Karriem, 34, was convicted in the Durban High Court of the rape and murder of his aunt, Freda Tavira – his mother’s sister – and was handed two life sentences and eight years for theft.
Yesterday, Karriem appeared in the Durban Regional Court for the rape of a 29-year-old Greenwood Park woman.
He was meant to be in court the day he killed Tavira.
She was found strangled and badly bruised in her Newlands East home on August 23.
Her wedding ring, television set, R150 and bakkie were stolen.
Karriem’s 19-year-old girlfriend, Astrid Tavira, also his first cousin – and Tavira’s only daughter – faces a charge of conspiracy to commit murder.
Yesterday, the State was unable to conclusively prove their case against Karriem.
Relying on the single testimony of the complainant, the State alleged that on November 13, 2010, Karriem raped the complainant at the home of a friend.
Braai
The complainant testified that Karriem had arrived at her friend’s house early that morning and had been let in by her friend, who told him to sleep in the lounge.
She told the court that when her friend and her mother left for work, Karriem had tried to kiss her. When she refused, he raped her.
Taking the stand, the complainant’s friend said the complainant had left her house at 2pm, but returned at 6pm for a braai, only to leave again at 10pm.
She said the complainant had told her about the rape on MXit after 10pm.
When this version was put to the complainant, she denied going back to her friend’s house for a braai.
The friend said she had told the complainant to press charges but she refused, saying she did not want to be examined by a district surgeon.
Karriem, who pleaded not guilty, said he knew the complainant and her friend, was “involved” with both of them and had had consensual sex with the complainant.
In judgment yesterday, magistrate Siphiwe Hlophe said there were shortcomings in the complainant’s evidence.
Karriem was convicted of rape in 1999 and although the court ordered that he serve his entire 15-year sentence, he was released on early parole in 2009.
He was convicted of attempted rape in 1993, for which he was sentenced to community service.
Karriem was out on parole until February 5, 2014, and out on bail for a double rape when he killed Tavira.
He is also facing charges of raping a 40-year-old woman in Newlands East in July. - Daily News