Convicted rapist pleads guilty to two more rapes

Convicted rapist Marius Bramwell, already serving a 10-year sentence for a rape he committed in 2012, was handed a further 20 years after he pleaded guilty to raping two other women yesterday.

Bramwell, 33, of Kwanoxolo, admitted in the Gqeberha high court to raping two women on two different occasions more than 10 years ago in the Kwanoxolo area, while under the influence of drugs.

In his plea explanation, read out by his lawyer, advocate Jodine Coertzen, Bramwell admitted that between 2013 and 2015, while in his early 20s, he consumed dagga and tik on a daily basis.

“I was further aware that consumption of the said drugs on a daily basis affected my abilities to make proper decisions or to be able to control my behaviour and actions properly.

“I admit that I committed numerous offences while under the influence of dagga and tik which inter alia resulted in my conviction in 2015 and current incarceration for the crime of rape committed in 2012,” Bramwell said.

The present cases before court came after Bramwell’s DNA was obtained during the investigation of the 2015 conviction and entered into the police forensic system.

It was subsequently linked to two unsolved matters of 2013 and 2014.

“Due to my consumption of drugs on a daily basis during that period of 2013 to 2015 and the great lapse of time since the commission of those offences I am unable to recall the facts of the cases currently before court.

“I have no recollection of the commission of those offences.”

Bramwell admitted that on February 23 2013, near Extension 31 in Kwanoxolo, he robbed his then 23-year-old victim of a pair of earrings, a gold chain and a gold ring, while threatening her with a knife.

“On the same date, I kidnapped her, by depriving her of her freedom of movement by assaulting her and forcing her to accompany me to an open field where I, together with two further assailants ... [raped her],” he said.

He further admitted that on November 29 2014, he kidnapped and raped a then 17-year-old girl who he found walking in Lingelihle Street, Kwanoxolo.

Bramwell’s charge sheet listed that he had previously been convicted of reckless and negligent driving and paid a R500 admission of guilt in July 2008.

He was also sentenced to 10 years for rape and robbery in 2015.

Bramwell was sentenced to 15 years for robbery with aggravating circumstances, five years for each of the two kidnapping charges, 10 years for the 2014 rape and 20 years for the 2013 rape.

All the sentences were ordered to run concurrently with the 20-year sentence.