THE rape case against alleged serial rapist Nkosinathi Phakathi did not continue on Monday, 31 October because the court was hearing a part-heard matter.
Phakathi was supposed to plead to 203 charges including more than 94 counts of rape in the Joburg High Court sitting in the Palm Ridge Regional Court.
Both prosecutor Salome Scheepers and defence lawyer Lekau Kgokane approached the presiding judge after 2pm and asked for the matter to be rolled over to Tuesday, 1 November.
Scheepers told the court that since it had too many cases to postpone before it and was proceeding with a part-heard case, it was better to remand the case.
“There is an agreement between myself and the defence to postpone the matter. We are crowded out,” she said.
Kgokane said he understood that the court could not accommodate them because there were too many matters before the judge.
The 37-year-old Phakathi is facing 203 charges, including counts of rape, kidnapping and theft committed in Benoni, Daveyton, Putfontein and Crystal Park in Ekurhuleni.
Phakathi’s nine-year reign of terror began in 2012 and came to an end on 17 March when cops arrested him in Barcelona, Etwatwa on 12 March 2021.
His alleged victims, all females, are aged between 14 and 44 years old.
It is alleged that he scouted homes where victims, mostly young girls, would be alone and pretend to be working for the municipality and checking on meter readings.
Some of the girls were attacked on their way to school.
Phakathi has been allegedly linked to the rape cases through DNA analysis and his modus operandi.
