Everything will be okay - rape accused tells daughter

AS THE judge began his summary of evidence in the case of the Alexandra father and son accused of raping 10 women, Booi Makhubela kept reassuring his 14-year-old daughter that everything would be fine.

Makhubela, 50, and his son, Rodgers, 26, face 40 counts of rape, assault, robbery and kidnapping in the Johannesburg High Court.

Judge Roland Sutherland yesterday started judgment in the case that took just under one year to finalise. "Don't worry my child. Everything will be okay," Booi said to his daughter.

Sutherland yesterday dealt with only four of the 10 cases against the Makhubelas - who pretended to be taxi operators between Johannesburg and Pretoria - and in all of them dismissed the evidence brought by the defence, saying it was ludicrous.

The two have said in court that most of the women they are accused of raping were prostitutes, while the others agreed to have sex with them.

Sutherland said evidence brought by the complainants and state witnesses was credible and could be trusted.

Rodgers testified that he only raped one woman, at his father's instruction, and had consensual sex with nine others.

His father denies this.