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Judge stands down case of two taxi driver 'rapists'

Two men appeared in connection in connection to various charges including rape and kidnapping.
Two men appeared in connection in connection to various charges including rape and kidnapping.
Image: STOCK IMAGE

The matter against two men accused of a litany of charges including rape, assault and kidnapping has been stood down.  

The two taxi drivers, aged 28 and 30, face 51 counts which include 13 of rape, nine of kidnapping, and nine of aiding and abetting another person to commit a sexual offence. 

The pair appeared briefly in the South Gauteng High Court sitting in Palm Ridge on Thursday. The court heard that the pair intend pleading guilty to some of the charges they are facing. 

However, the matter was stood down after advocate Sabelo Nobangule, the legal representative for accused number one, requested for the matter to be stood down as he had to rush to another matter in Johannesburg. 

Advocate Xolani Mazibuko, who is representing the second accused, requested a DNA chain of evidence and SAP 13 record before his client could plead to the charges. 

“We need to be supplied with those documents for my client to be able to make an informed decision,” Mazibuko told the court.

Meanwhile, prosecutor Rolene Bester said the state was ready to proceed with the matter, however, she requested to consult her superiors for a separation of trials and to iron out a few housekeeping issues. 

Judge Cassim Moosa stood the matter down until later on Thursday. 

The pair are accused of going on a 13-month reign of terror in which they kidnapped, raped, assaulted and robbed several female victims using a Toyota Quantum in several parts of Gauteng, including Soweto, Johannesburg, and Ekurhuleni. 

The first complainant approached the police on September 26 2016 while the last complainant registered a case with the police on October 12 2017.

They also face nine counts of robbery with aggravating circumstances, a count of sexual assault, assault with intent to cause grievous bodily harm and nine counts of pointing anything which is likely to lead a person to believe it is a firearm. 

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