Pretoria murder accused has pending rape case

A Pretoria man arrested on Monday after the body of a woman he allegedly met on a website for sex workers was found in a shallow grave has a pending rape case.

The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) revealed on Wednesday as Isidro Helder, 37, appeared at the Pretoria magistrate's court for the murder Loveness Magabe.

The 30-year-old was reported missing by a friend on July 4 at Sunnyside police station in Pretoria and her body was discovered in a shallow grave in an open field along Swartberg Street in Eersterust last Thursday.

At face value, it looks like he would meet his victims on Facebook, invite them to his place, and rape them
— Lumka Mahanjana, NPA spokesperson

Helder, who also faces a charge of defeating the ends of justice, wanted to represent himself in his first appearance but, after magistrate Ernest Mbembele explained the charges and possible sentence, he said: "I will take legal aid for now."

He later added:"I would like to abandon the whole bail thing."

After Helder abandoned bail Mbembele postponed the matter to October 15.

Outside the court, the NPA's Lumka Mahanjana told the media Helder has a pending rape case at the same court. "He is also facing a charge of rape and he will appear on the same date.

"At face value, it looks like he would meet his victims on Facebook, invite them to his place, and rape them," she said while not ruling out the possibility of more victims coming forward.

Bodies of three other women were found in the same area but Mahanjana clarified that they were not linked to Helder as suggested by other media houses "The investigations on those cases are still ongoing," she said.

#NotInMyName, which advocates against the abuse of women and children, said they were pleased Helder chose to abandon bail. "We are happy that he abandoned bail and until his matter is ventilated properly in a court of law he should stay behind bars," said Themba Masango, the organisation's secretary general.

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