Durban — A man suspected of being a serial rapist and murderer operating in the Queensburgh area made his first appearance in the Pinetown Regional Court on Tuesday where his matter was adjourned for him to consult with his new Legal Aid attorney.
The 45-year-old man appeared before Magistrate Siphiwe Hlophe, who questioned the State on why the matter had not been referred to the Durban High Court.
“I see there are multiple counts here including rape and murders. Why has it not been referred to the high court?” asked Hlophe.
The State replied that the matter had been transferred from the district court to be heard in the regional court.
The charges levelled against the man were not read out to him in court on Tuesday, however, it was indicated in the district court when he appeared last month that he was to appear in the regional court charged with two rapes.
At that time, he appeared charged with two counts of murder and two counts of rape and house robberies.
However, he had the two murder charges provisionally withdrawn while the State continued investigating.
It’s said that the man had made it hard for police to identify him in the past as he cleaned the scene, including his victims with sanitiser after the crime, to eliminate traces of his DNA.
He had also allegedly gone to the lengths of biting his fingertips in a bid to not leave any evidence and making it impossible for police to take his fingerprints on arrest in the past.
In court on Tuesday, Hlophe explained to the man, who can not be named until he pleads, that he had the right to appoint a private attorney or apply for Legal Aid.
The accused opted to apply for Legal Aid, which was granted, and he also indicated to the court that he would require a Xhosa interpreter.
The State then handed over statements in relation to the case to his attorney.
“The matter is postponed for you to consult with your Legal Aid attorney, which will depend on the availability of an interpreter. Legal Aid is in receipt of case statements.
“The matter is postponed to 26 September for consultation and arrangements will be made for a Xhosa interpreter that day,” said Hlophe.
The two murder charges that were provisionally withdrawn against the man relate to Malvern residents Evidence Ntombikile Seager, 40, and Savithree Moodley, 70.
In August last year, Seager’s body was found not far from her home. She had been stabbed 12 times in the chest and had handcuffs around her ankles. She was allegedly raped.
Items that were allegedly stolen from Seager’s home were said to have been found on the accused when he was arrested.
Moodley was found murdered in October last year in her home with stab wounds on her chest.
A month before this, the accused allegedly broke into a woman’s home in Northdene, Malvern, where he subjected the victim to grievous bodily harm before raping her.
On Tuesday, Seager’s family members sat in the court gallery wearing blue T-shirts with the slogan “Justice for Women” branded on the back.
“We are monitoring the progress of all the cases closely until justice is served,” said a relative who preferred not to be named, fearing for their safety.
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Daily News