Life sentence for rapist who prepared food for victims before raping them

A Free Staterapistwho prepared food for his victims aged 13 and 14 and let them eat before stuffing socks in their mouths and raping them has been handed two life sentences. This comes after the Welkom regional court found Charles Matthias Titus, 44, guilty on multiple charges following the rape of two minor victims whom he had lured away from his friends. After the accused was arrested for rape, the case was assigned to Sgt Themba Jilimba of the Thabong FCS.

Through his extensive investigation he ensured that the accused was denied bail until the commencement of his trial. According to Free State police spokesperson Sgt Palesa Thabana, the two girls were watching a netball match at an open field at Dubai squatter camp in Bronville on August 24 2019 when Titus lured them away. Thabana said Titus asked that they go and buy something for him at a local tuckshop.

“Upon their return from the tuckshop, they went to the accused’s shack, where he prepared food for them to eat. While at the shack after they ate, he locked the door, took a knife from the drawer and threatened the victims. “He further tied them up with shoelaces and put socks in their mouths before taking turns and repeatedly raping them as the other watched.” After the rapes, the victims reported the incident to their elders, and a case of rape was then registered for further investigation.

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“The accused was subsequently arrested for rape. The case was assigned to Sergeant Themba Jilimba of the Thabong Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences Unit (FCS). Through his extensive investigation he ensured that the accused was denied bail until the commencement of his trial,” said Thabana.

After a trial that lasted a few years, he was found guilty and on Monday sentenced to two life sentences for rape and a further 10 years’ imprisonment for compelling or causing children to witness a sexual offence or act. The sentences will run concurrently with the first life sentence, which means Titus got an effective one life sentence.

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