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Alleged city serial rapist in court

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The accused, who is a taxi marshal, also faces charges of robbery, assault GBH and theft out of a motor vehicle

Benedict Norman Moreki appeared in the Galeshewe Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday. Picture: Soraya Crowie

ACCUSED serial rapist Benedict Norman Moreki, 30, was cross-examined in the Galeshewe Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday, where he faces charges of raping two 18-year-old women in Galeshewe in 2016 and 2018.

He was questioned by State prosecutor Munewa Ratshibvumo in the Sexual Offences Court.

Moreki, who was a taxi marshal, also faces charges of robbery, assault GBH and theft out of a motor vehicle.

He was arrested in Greenpoint.

He denied the rape charges and told the court that he was romantically involved with both women and had consensual sex with both of them.

He also told the court that he had sex with both women on the last night that he saw them.

Ratshibvumo stated that both alleged rapes happened in the veld, at two different places, in Galeshewe.

Neither victim could identify their rapist because he was wearing a balaclava at the time of the incidents and threatened them with a knife, however, DNA linked the two crimes.

Both victims also suffered cuts to their hands when they attempted to fight off the rapist.

Moreki could not explain to the court why the victims had accused him of raping them, stating simply that “they made it up”.

He claimed that he had sexual intercourse with both women on several occasions before the alleged rapes.

The first alleged rape was on the night of June 13, 2016, when the victim was confronted by her rapist in Lerato Park, robbed of her cellphone and raped.

Moreki claimed that the victim was his girlfriend, and that he had met her at a tavern in Tshwene Street, Bloemanda. According to him, they had been in a relationship for approximately nine months.

He said the victim, on the night of the alleged rape, was relaxing and drinking with her friends in the tavern. They had a chat as they had not been together for a while.

According to him, he did not arrange or expect to meet the victim that night. They left the tavern together at around 10pm.

“When we arrived at my shack in Lerato Park we had anal sex without a condom. Just before midnight, she asked me to take her back to the tavern. I took her halfway to the tavern and left her unharmed,” said Moreki.

Ratshibvumo stated that the victim told the court that Moreki demanded her phone when he confronted her before raping her.

“It is a lie, she had a phone on her and was even chatting to a friend while we were together, including when I took her back to the tavern,” the accused responded.

“I did not have vaginal sex with her because she told me that she was in her periods,” he said. He claimed that he saw blood on her sanitary pad.

Moreki said he never spoke to the victim after that night because his life was in danger and he had to flee to Greenpoint. He did not have time to check on her either.

He only learnt about the rape case during his arrest.

Ratshibvumo pointed out to the court that the victim was examined the next day (after the alleged rape) at the Thuthuzela Support Centre in Galeshewe, where it was revealed that she had her period a week before the incident.

The second alleged rape happened on the night of January 14, 2018, where the accused met the victim at around 6am while she was on her way home from Club 2000.

The victim testified earlier in court that she spent the night with her friends in Club 2000.

She was confronted by her rapist on her way home, who dragged her into the veld and raped her through anal penetration.

Moreki said he met the victim, whom he had been in a sexual relationship with, at a tavern in Club 2000 on that night.

He told the court that they had agreed to meet at the tavern and he bought her and her friends four beers.

“I was playing pool while she was relaxing and drinking beers with her friend. At around 9pm she asked her friend, who was staying near the tavern, for accommodation and we all left together. We had anal sex twice that night,” he said.

According to Moreki, he woke up at around 6am the next morning and found that the women had left.

“I called her at around 9am and she said she had to go home because her mom was worried about her,” Moreki said.

He said they spoke several times after that night but it stopped eventually. “During that month of January and February we were very busy at the rank preparing for Easter trips. So there was no time for any relationships.

“I did not know that she had opened a case of rape.”

In response as to why both victims described their rapists as wearing a balaclava, Moreki denied ever wearing a balaclava or even owning one.

Ratshibvumo asked him why the owner of the vehicle that he was accused of stealing from had told the court that his nickname was ‘Balaclava’ because he was always wearing one, especially during winter.

He denied having a nickname or ever being called ‘Balaclava’.

Moreki had been linked to the theft of wheel caps and other items from a taxi that was parked at Tlhokomelo.

The case was postponed to today for final arguments.

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