Lock Pepe up, demands Solidarity Helping Hand who launched a campaign today in order to mobilise thousands of South Africans to prevent a serial rapist and murderer from being released on bail again.
Alleged rapist Jakobus September, known as Pepe, will appear in the Riversdal Magistrate’s Court on 28 June on yet another charge of rape. Pepe and his 17-year-old co-accused are facing four charges of rape and a charge of attempted murder. Hundreds of angry residents protested outside the Riversdal Magistrate’s Court on 9 June. Helping Hand has addressed a grievance to Magistrate Prinsloo Oosthuizen, in which a possible bail application is opposed.
All South Africans can protest against Pepe’s possible bail application on 28 June and the granting of bail to him on the website www.helpinghandfund.co.za. A list of South Africans who oppose the bail application will be handed over to the Magistrate on this day. People who do not have access to e-mail can SMS the word “Pepe” to 34388 to protest against the possible bail application. (An SMS costs R2.)
The two accused allegedly raped an 18-year-old girl four times, threw a 55 kg rock on her head and left her for dead on 29 May. The girl, a bright pupil from Langenhoven High School in Riversdal, offered the two accused a lift in her car. When she stopped, the two men overpowered her, dragged her out of the car and took her to a reed marsh where she was raped repeatedly.
In 2005 Pepe allegedly raped and murdered an 11-year-old girl in Riversdal. The girl was raped and strangled on a farm. No case has been brought against Pepe because of a lack of evidence. The case is still under investigation. In 2007 a 20-year-old woman was raped and left for dead in Stilbaai. Pepe was found guilty of assault with intent to cause grievous bodily harm, but because of a lack of evidence rape could not be proven. Pepe served only 18 months of his three-year sentence. In February this year, Pepe was also charged with stock theft and slaughter.
“How many children must be raped and murdered before this man is removed from society?” asks Dr Danie Langner, Executive Director of Helping Hand. “If Pepe had been found guilty of rape and murder in 2005 and served a proper sentence, two young women would not have suffered the trauma of being raped,” he adds.
According to Langner, Helping Hand is inundated by complaints about rapists who practically get off scot-free from their offences.
“South Africa is not child friendly. The government is letting the children down by not reinstituting the child protection units. It is time that the community take a stand and ensure that criminals like Pepe are locked up,” says Langner.