BYLINE: FATIMA SCHROEDER
THE man who allegedly conducted a reign of terror in the Hermanus area for years will appear in the Cape High Court today to plead to 41 charges.
Johannes Mowers, who was on the run from authorities for three years, was arrested in March 2007 and has made several appearances in the Caledon Circuit Court, from where he initially escaped in 2004.
He has been sentenced to three years behind bars for escaping.
According to the charge sheet, Mowers faces several charges of housebreaking and rape. Other charges include abduction, indecent assault and the unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition, as well as malicious damage to property.
Two of his alleged victims, both minors, were held in an underground hideaway in the Hemel en Aarde Valley between Caledon and Hermanus and police found them on March 4, the day that Mowers was arrested.
They were allegedly raped there several times.
Police arrested him on the farm, Nuwepos, at the home of Susan Mento who gave him wine to drink after he had allegedly broken into her house. He fell asleep and she called the police.
The summary of the state's allegations against him is 10 pages long.
In the summary, it emerged that several of the rape complainants were minors.
One was only 10 years old.
It further emerged that Mowers allegedly wore a balaclava and broke into homes while the occupants were asleep and on many occasions he took their food.
The charge sheet claims he used a knife or a firearm to threaten his victims into co-operating with him.
He allegedly assaulted one woman by using a rock to hit her on the head. He then allegedly kicked her in the stomach before raping her.
It is also alleged that he attempted to strangle one of his victims as she managed to untie herself.
The state says it has DNA evidence to link him to some of the charges.
After being captured, he allegedly led police to the underground hideaway where the two young girls were found.
fatima.schroeder@inl.co.za
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