Serial rapist seeks parole. File image
A SERIAL rapist, who profiled and raped 43 young “white women” in Durban and Pretoria, and was convicted and sentenced indefinitely for his crimes in the early 2000s, is making another bid for freedom.
Andre Gregory Mahomed, 54, who was labelled a “manipulative psychopath”, began his latest application for parole earlier this year.
The matter was heard in the Durban Regional Court on Monday, with submissions from a probation officer, before Magistrate Sharon Marks, who adjourned proceedings to next month.
The Department of Correctional Services has supported his parole application stating that he was a candidate for correctional supervision (house detention) with various conditions.
Mahomed, a welder by profession, who lived in Overport when he committed the rape offences in Durban during 1996 and 1997, targeted women living in the Morningside and Berea before his arrest.
While at the Durban Central police station to attend an ID parade, he managed to escape.
He relocated to Pretoria and continued his criminal activities, mainly in the Sunnyside area during 1998, by using a gun to threaten victims.
The first of the 22 rapes in Pretoria happened six days after he fled Durban.
Colonel Anton Booysens, who was the investigating officer for the Durban offences, tracked Mahomed and arrested him in Pretoria.
Earlier this year Marks also heard testimony from a criminologist and received a report from the Department of Correctional Services.
Marks convicted Mahomed, who was classified a “dangerous criminal”, on rape, indecent assault and housebreaking charges in 2001 and sentenced him to serve an "indefinite" term of imprisonment (non-determined sentence).
According to legislation, Mahomed was eligible for re-sentencing after 15 years.
Mahomed appeared before Marks on May 4, 2016, for a parole application, and at that time senior public prosecutor advocate Val Melis represented the State.
After considering evidence from various experts, Marks declared Mahomed a dangerous criminal yet again and ordered that he return four years later for a review of sentencing, provided he had various sessions of counselling and psychotherapy.
When he returned in 2021, Marks found that Correctional Services had not heeded to the order to provide Mahomed with the required therapy.
Again, she declared him a dangerous criminal, handed him another indeterminate sentence and asked him to return in a year’s time, after 30 sessions of intensive psychotherapy, which correctional services must facilitate.
Marks is currently evaluating submissions in respect of Mahomed’s attempt to achieve freedom.
He’s hoping that she finds him to no longer be a dangerous criminal and release him on correctional supervision or unconditionally.
Lawfully, Mahomed will be handed another indefinite sentence if Marks rules that he is still a dangerous criminal after considering all submissions made in this latest application.
He was sentenced for the Pretoria matters in 2004 and also declared a dangerous criminal.
A social worker produced a pre-sentencing report on behalf of the KwaZulu-Natal Social Development Department after investigating Mahomed’s general circumstances.
Mahomed was born Sydenham and dropped out of school in Grade 9 and found work at a pathology laboratory and at the time engaged in certain criminal activities through the influence of friends.
His involvement in criminal activity was not for financial reasons as his mother “doted” on him.
Mahomed got married in 1995, and has one child, but his marriage got progressively worse until they divorced.
Mahomed claimed his wife demeaned him and undermined his authority as a man, which stimulated his need to commit crime.
Regarding his first sexual offence, he said he initially never sought to rape his victim, but intended to steal from her, but became aroused when he caught sight of her.
He said he felt powerful after the incident, and that his further offences occurred after arguments with his wife, which left him feeling belittled.
Through therapy that he had undergone, Mahomed said he got insight on his past behaviour and the impact it had on victims and the wrongfulness of his actions.
He agreed he was out of control.
When he saw his daughter later, it reminded him of his victims who were of a similar age and he felt ashamed of his actions.
The social worker visited the home of Mahomed’s sister who will be living with, in a complex, if he were released.
The sister said she had good relations with her neighbours and they might not be approving, considering her brother’s criminal history.
She was also apprehensive about monitoring her brother closely around women and female children.
The social worker recommended that Mahomed continue serving his sentence.
Correctional services indicated in their report that Mahomed was imprisoned at a Maximum prison Medium B, was previously divorced and he hoped to live with his sister in Durban upon his release.
They indicated that Mahomed will be assessed by certified social workers to determine the further programmes he needed for his rehabilitation and will engage in community projects when released.