Durban — The trial against a man suspected of being a serial rapist and killer operating in the Queensburgh area was postponed again in the Pinetown Magistrate’s Court.
Last week it was postponed due to a recording machine that was not working.
While 45-year-old Lindokuhle Rowan Mwethu Beni is charged with housebreaking with the intent to rape, housebreaking with the intent to steal, and robbery as well as rape, he is also suspected of being an alleged serial rapist and murderer.
The charges against him were the only cases the State was able to pin on him with evidence.
He had previously been charged with two counts of murder and two counts of rape and house robberies.
However, he had the two murders provisionally withdrawn while the State continued investigating.
It is alleged 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 DNA.
He had also allegedly gone to the lengths of biting his fingertips in a bid to not leave any evidence and also making it impossible for police to take his fingerprints upon arrest in the past.
The two murder charges that were provisionally withdrawn against him relate to Malvern residents 40-year-old Evidence Ntombifikile Seager and 72-year-old Savithree Moodley.
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, and had, allegedly, been raped.
Items that were allegedly stolen from Seager’s home were found on the accused when he was arrested.
Moodley was found murdered in October last year in her home with stab wounds to her chest.
On Tuesday, following last week’s postponement, the trial, which began last month, was meant to continue with six witnesses lined up to testify.
However, the trial was postponed as the prosecutor was not in court.
The trial was postponed to April 9.
When the trial started last month, Beni’s alleged rape victim led evidence in camera, where just court staff remained behind.
On Wednesday, speaking on the delay in the continuation of the trial, the woman said that she wanted nothing more than for the matter to reach finality.
“It is just annoying to have this case dragging on like this,” said the woman, who explained that while the trial coming to finality would bring her closure, it would not restore normality in her life.
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Daily News