‘Gentleman’ raped 32 in two provinces
● It was an identikit and the beady eye of a former landlady that led police to the man they dubbed the Jacket Gentleman.
A former soldier, Christopher Cornelius Julies used his job as a contractor to carry out his reign of terror between 2011 and 2015.
The serial rapist, who was sentenced last year to seven life terms plus an additional 373 years, preyed on women and girls across the Northern Cape and North West.
In a crime spree across more than 2 000km, he raped 32 victims in the towns of Galeshewe, Ritchie, Olifantshoek, Upington, Kathu, Kuruman, Postmasburg, Pampierstad and Mahikeng, according to a police statement.
Three of those he raped were girls from the same school.
Forensic evidence
DNA tests linked 22 of the cases to Julies while the rest were linked to him through his modus operandi, which included making his victims take off one leg of their pants or panties and lie on his black jacket before he raped them.
Julies was found guilty in the High Court in Kimberley by Northern Cape Judge President Frans Kgomo in March last year on 34 counts of rape, attempted rape and assault.
He was arrested when, a week after his identikit was circulated in Olifantshoek, his former landlady recognised him and contacted investigators to say she knew where he lived.
Self-described gentleman
Julies, who speaks eight languages, described himself, according to court records, as a “gentleman” who was in love with his victims.
Police sources said that after the rapes, Julies would help his victims up, wipe any dust off them and give them money, usually a R10 note, for taxi fare.
In announcing his verdict, Kgomo said it was common cause that Julies would make his victims “take off one leg of their pants or underwear” before he raped them.