I PUT IT TO YOU YOU’RE A LIAR!
Birthday rapist bursts into tears
MLUNGISI Mtshali, the man dubbed
“the birthday rapist” for allegedly raping 20 women by luring them into his trap under the pretence that it was his special day, broke down and wept this week as the state tightened the screws during his trial.
Sexual offences prosecutor Rose Baloyi tore Mtshali’s evidence to shreds, calling him a liar, and reduced him to tears during intense cross-examination at the Johannesburg Magistrate’s Court.
Mtshali (30) of KwaMashu in KwaZulu-Natal has pleaded not guilty to a total of 122 counts, including 30 of rape, sexual assault, kidnapping, theft, robbery and assault with intent to do grievous bodily harm.
The articulate, good-looking Mtshali, who testified in English, told Magistrate Simon Radasi that he had “made love” to the women and the sexual encounters with the 20 victims were consensual.
His alleged rein of terror began in March 2008, a year after he had relocated to Gauteng.
He began to charm women aged between 18 and 20 whom he met at different malls in Gauteng and told them he wanted them to celebrate his birthday with him.
The court heard that Mtshali gave the women a false name and lured them to a hotel room in Joburg under the pretext that he was going to collect his bag or fetch his sister.
Once in the room he allegedly plied the women with alcohol, fondled their breasts, forced them to perform oral sex, and assaulted, raped and robbed them of their cellphones.
All the alleged rapes took place while Mtshali was engaged in a relationship with his live-in lover and the mother of his three-year- old son. They lived in a townhouse in southern Joburg.
It is further alleged that Mtshali raped one of the victims more than twice, assaulted her and threatened her with a firearm.
On his third day on the witness box, Mtshali recalled how he had met one of the women while pumping up his tyres at a petrol station in Midrand.
He says the woman was in the company of her friend and they were looking for transport.
One of them began to dance to the sound of the music that was blaring from his car.
“We began to talk and I asked them out for a drink.
“Later, one of the girls called her father, who picked her up.
“I remained behind with the other and we enjoyed drinks and had sex,” he said.
“We left the hotel the very same night and I took her home.
“We never saw each other afterwards but I called her.”
Prosecutor Baloyi then called him a liar who had misled the women by introducing himself using a false name.
“It was a security measure that I didn’t introduce myself by my real name, ” said Mtshali with a smile.
“Imagine walking in the mall with your girlfriend and having some woman coming up to you and calling you by your name.
” Baloyi also asked him why he did not use protection when he raped a woman he claimed to have known for more than five months.
The court heard that Mtshali bought the woman emergency contraception tablets, commonly known as morning-after pills, following the alleged rape.
“I was worried because I didn’t want to have another child.
“I didn’t use protection because I was irresponsible. I didn’t rape her. We made love,” he responded.
Closing arguments are expected to be heard soon.
chelemuk@sundayworld.co.za
real