The Pretoria High Court has been told that alleged serial rapist Sipho Lucas Phiri was dressed in his security guard uniform when he allegedly assaulted one of his victims in Tembisa in 2018.
Phiri, who is accused of being behind a series of sexual assaults across the Ekurhuleni region, took the stand this week to recount events from one of the incidents forming part of the extensive list of charges against him. The court heard that he faces more than 100 charges, including rape, kidnapping, obstruction of justice, and the illegal possession and pointing of a firearm.
According to testimony, the incident occurred after Phiri allegedly offered a woman a lift home from work. He told the court that he proposed a casual sexual relationship and offered to pay the woman R1,000 for her transport expenses. Phiri claimed the encounter was consensual, insisting that the woman agreed to his proposal before the two engaged in sexual activity inside his car.
During cross-examination, Phiri’s defence attorney, Marianne Mapuru, questioned him about what he had inside his vehicle at the time of the alleged offence. She specifically asked whether he was armed that night.
“On the night in question, were you carrying one or two firearms?” Mapuru asked.
“Only one,” Phiri responded.
The court also heard that Phiri was wearing his security guard uniform, a detail that prosecutors argue may have helped him gain the trust of his alleged victims.
The trial continues at the Benoni Magistrates Court, where further testimony is expected from witnesses and investigating officers as the case against Phiri unfolds.
