Elias Chauke

Case overview

Elias Chauke was accused of a spate of killings and rapes that occurred over two months during 2002 in the Pretoria area. The matter was heard at the Pretoria High Court. He pleaded not guilty to charges of murder, rape and robbery.

Timeline

• October 7, 2002 — An unidentified woman was raped and murdered in Rooihuiskraal; her decomposed and naked body was discovered next to the R28 highway, covered with a car seat cover.
• October 8, 2002 — Confidence Ramonyathi left her home to look for work in Pretoria.
• October 2002 — Confidence Ramonyathi’s body was found next to the N1 highway in Waterkloof Heights.
• November 12, 2002 — The naked body of an unidentified woman was found next to the R21 in Monument Park.
• November 13, 2002 — Grany (Granny) Lekala left her home to look for work after a man, allegedly the accused, promised to help her; her half-naked body was found the next day next to the R28 at Highveld Park in Centurion.
• November 14, 2002 — Beauty Ditshego came to the city on November 14, 2002, to shop.
• November 15, 2002 — Beauty Ditshego’s fully clothed body was found the next day alongside the N1 in Newlands.
• August 17, 2004 — Elias Chauke pleaded not guilty in the Pretoria High Court to five charges of murder, four of rape and five of robbery.
• September 5, 2004 — He was sentenced to six life terms and a further 52 years imprisonment.
• September 7, 2004 — The sentencing was described as being read by the Pretoria High Court.
• October 2002 — Joyce Kabini testified she met Chauke in October 2002; he asked whether she was looking for a job, she gave him a cellphone number to her unemployed friend, and Lekala later phoned Chauke and later met with him.

The accused

Elias Chauke was a 32-year-old Rosslyn man at the time of the plea. He was described as 33 at the time the sentence was read. The court proceedings included his application for leave to appeal against his convictions and sentences.

The offence

Several women who came to Pretoria to look for work were raped, strangled and robbed. In most cases, their decomposed bodies were found next to busy roads in the city’s suburbs. Some victims died due to blunt-force trauma to the head, while others were strangled. Most of the bodies were decomposing when found.

Victims and circumstances

Unidentified woman (Rooihuiskraal)

The first victim was an unidentified woman who was raped and murdered in Rooihuiskraal. Her decomposed and naked body was discovered on October 7, 2002, next to the R28 highway in the suburb. Her body was covered with a car seat cover.

Confidence Ramonyathi (Waterkloof Heights)

Confidence Ramonyathi, an unemployed woman, left her home on October 8, 2002, to look for work in Pretoria. Her badly decomposed and half-naked body was found nine days later next to the N1 highway in the Waterkloof Heights area. The second description also stated her body was found the next day next to the N1 highway in Waterkloof Heights.

Unidentified woman (Monument Park)

Another unidentified woman’s naked body was found on November 12, 2002, next to the R21 in Monument Park.

Granny Lekala (Highveld Park, Centurion)

Grany (Granny) Lekala left her home on November 13, 2002, to look for work in the city after a man, allegedly the accused, promised to help her find a job. Her half-naked body was found the next day next to the R28 at Highveld Park in Centurion. Her blouse was wound around her neck and a used condom was found near her body, which was covered in a blanket. She had been strangled.

A close friend of Lekala, Joyce Kabini, testified that she met Chauke in October 2002. She said Chauke approached her and asked whether she was looking for a job. She took his cellphone number and gave it to her friend, who was unemployed. Lekala apparently phoned Chauke and later met with him. Lekala was never seen again.

Beauty Ditshego (Newlands, Pretoria)

Beauty Ditshego was described as the last victim mentioned in the charge sheet. She came to the city on November 14, 2002, to shop. Her fully clothed body was found the next day alongside the N1 in Newlands.

Arrest

Investigation

A police expert, Dr Gerhard Labuschagne, said Chauke’s behaviour was typical of serial killers in South Africa. Labuschagne said Chauke used promises of work to lure his victims away. Labuschagne said the chance of rehabilitating a serial killer was low. He added that throughout the world there were no serial murder or serial rape offender rehabilitation programmes.

Trial

Plea

On Monday (August 17, 2004), Elias Chauke pleaded not guilty to five charges of murder, four of rape and five of robbery. Chauke said he could not have committed the crimes because, at the times they were committed, he was not in that particular area.

State allegations and sentencing remarks

The state claimed that he raped nearly all his victims. Acting Judge Khami Makhafola said the fact that semen was found at some of the scenes did not necessary mean that he raped his victims. The father of two lured his five female victims into bushes after offering them employment. The judge said all these women were defenceless females who tried to find work.

Makhafola said:

"In my view there are no mitigating factors. The crimes were committed in a bizarre and gruesome manner and the victims clearly suffered."

The judge said two women were still unidentified and their families were obviously still looking for them. The judge said:

"The court must send out the message that such barbaric behaviour will not be tolerated,"

A police expert, Dr Gerhard Labuschagne, testified regarding serial killer behaviour and rehabilitation programmes.

Court response to application

The families of the victims gasped in surprise when a relaxed looking Chauke asked the court for leave to appeal against his convictions and sentences. The court would hear the application later. The family said they would never forgive Chauke for what he had done. They were happy that he would go to jail for life, but said it would not bring back the victims.

Sentencing

Elias Chauke was convicted of murdering five women, robbing three of them and raping another one. He was sentenced to six life terms and a further 52 years imprisonment on September 5, 2004.

Outcome

He was convicted and sentenced by the Pretoria High Court and sought leave to appeal against his convictions and sentences.