While the magistrate read out his verdict, convicted serial rapist Wilson Sidada (48) only shook his head in disagreement.

Sidada appeared in the District Court in Louis Trichardt on Thursday, September 9, on eight counts of rape and one count of attempted rape. The rapes took place over a period of about two years. Sidada pleaded not guilty to all the charges, despite being linked to some of the cases by DNA evidence and through identification parades in other cases.

Sidada met his victims, all between the ages of 20 and 30, in Louis Trichardt and then lured them away by offering them jobs. During Sidada’s trial, tales of his appalling deeds were sketched when the women he raped gave their testimony.

Sidada would approach the women, saying that his “boss” was looking for female employees and that he would take them to him. In one of the cases, the woman got suspicious when Sidada instructed her to walk in front of him through some bushes.

When she started to question him, he pulled out a knife, told her to be quiet, and proceeded to rape her. Some of the women also testified that Sidada not only raped them repeatedly, but he also forced them to have oral sex with him.

Other women reported that Sidada used a “home made condom” that was made “from animal skin” when he raped them. This contraption was later found in the veldt by police, after one of the women pointed out the place where she had been raped.

Sidada was arrested at the end of 2008, when police on a routine patrol spotted him walking alongside the road with his next victim-to-be. When Sidada realised that he was under suspicion, he fled from the police. A few weeks later, one of the policemen who had questioned him spotted him in Eltivillas.

Once again Sidada tried to run away, but the police and a group of civilians gave chase and he was apprehended.

DNA samples were taken and sent off to be matched to unsolved rape cases. Other cases matching his modus operandi were also retrieved to be re-opened.

Sidada was found guilty on the eight charges of rape and not guilty on the charge of attempted rape. With regard to the attempted rape, magistrate PW Mudau ruled that Sidada was only in the planning stage of the rape and did not actually attempt the deed.

Sidada will remain in custody until his next court appearance on November 9, when he will be sentenced. This was done so that a pre-judgement report can be compiled by a social worker regarding Sidada’s behaviour.