Two friends were walking along a road near Kempton Park one night when they were attacked and robbed by two men.
They were “rescued” by two other males in the vicinity. However, their relief was short-lived and they were instead gang-raped.
One of the alleged rapists yesterday briefly appeared in the Gauteng High Court, Pretoria, where he is facing 13 charges, including of rape.
It is claimed by the State that 34-year-old Paulos Johnny Mapadimeng, of an unknown address, also raped two other women in three separate incidents. He is facing 13 charges, four of rape, two of kidnapping and several charges of robbery.
Mapadimeng is also facing charges relating to the firearms act as it is claimed that in some instances he and his alleged accomplice who was never caught pointed a toy gun at their victims, which the women believed to be a real firearm.
As the trial has not yet begun, it is uncertain at this stage why they were only arrested all these years later.
According to the indictment, the first incident happened on April 21, 2009, near Kempton Park when two women were walking along the road.
They were allegedly approached by the accused and his friend who pointed a toy gun at them.
They allegedly forced the women to nearby bushes where one of the women was allegedly raped by Mapadimeng. His friend meanwhile started to undress the other woman but he left her when she told him she was pregnant.
A few months later, on New Year’s Eve, two other friends walked in the vicinity of Refilwe in Cullinan at night when they were allegedly overpowered by Mapadimeng, who was this time alone.
He allegedly forced them at gunpoint to a secluded spot where he tied the one woman up, while he allegedly raped the other and assaulted her by hitting her with the firearm in the face.
More than a year later, two more friends allegedly fell victim to Mapadimeng and his accomplice.
It is claimed that they walked along a road near Kempton Park at night when they were attacked by two unknown men who took the little money they had with them.
It is said that Mapadimeng and his friend saw this and pretended to come to their aid.
When the first two robbers saw them approaching, they ran away.
Armed with a toy gun, Mapadimeng and his friend allegedly again forced the women to a secluded spot where both victims were tied up and searched. Another cellphone was found, which they allegedly took.
It is claimed that each woman was raped by one of the men, after which they switched victims and again raped them.
The trial meanwhile stood down yesterday, and will continue today as Mapadimeng was not ready to proceed.
Mboma Mboma