Only 2 of 19 victims survived, to come to court and testify

Judgment is expected today in the trial of serial rape and murder accused Jack Mogale, by Judge Frans Kgomo in the Johannesburg High Court.    

Mogale, 42, was arrested in 2009 after he was first linked to the brutal rape of a 19-year-old woman from Venterspost. He allegedly assaulted her with a stone until she was unconscious and then raped her before leaving her for dead.

The court heard that he attacked 19 women. Most of them were killed in the veld between Westonaria and Lenasia in 2008 and 2009.

Mogale pleaded not guilty to all the charges of murder, attempted murder, assault, rape, theft and kidnapping.

The only two women to have survived attacks, testified during his trial that when they met him for the first time — on the days he later attacked them — that he had claimed to be a ZCC preacher and a prophet.

One was given a herbal “tea” for uterine problems after which she said he put herbs into her vagina and said he needed to have sexual intercourse to exorcise evil spirits from her.

He, however, said they were having an affair and the sex was consensual.

One woman said he gave her a lift, claimed to be prophesying over her, then took her to a veld where he attacked her.

When she regained consciousness 24 hours later, maggots were on her wounds and her jaw was dislocated.

The other women, who also included a prostitute, were allegedly killed by Mogale after he assaulted and raped them.

The court was told that DNA belonging to Mogale was found in most of the women, along with herbs and mud inserted in some of victims’ private parts.

One woman was killed along with her baby.

Some of the bodies police found remain unidentified by their families.

Mogale was arrested in the Waterworks informal settlement near Zuurbekom, west of Johannesburg when police were given a vehicle registration number after a teenager went missing.

The teenager’s cellphone was found in his home.