Mathe does not want to testify
2009-05-21 18:14
Johannesburg - Notorious prison escapee Ananias Mathe told the High Court in Johannesburg on Thursday he did not want to testify in his own defence, SABC radio news reported.
The State wrapped up its case against Mathe after 131 witnesses testified against him, including forensic experts who linked him to seven cases of rape.
Mathe said he did not want to testify despite the judge warning him that this could be his opportunity to present his side of the story.
The defence will file its closing arguments on Wednesday.
Mathe is facing 71 charges ranging from rape to house robbery and animal cruelty. The cases against him were reported in Rustenburg and Lichtenburg in North West, Thabazimbi in Limpopo and several locations in Gauteng.
The Mozambican national made headlines when he escaped from the Pretoria C-Max prison, regarded as the most secure in the country, in November 2006. He was captured the following month.
Mathe had also made an earlier successful escape from Johannesburg Prison.
In February, he pleaded guilty to two charges of escaping from prison and was convicted for the two counts. He pleaded not guilty to the other 69 charges against him.
- SAPA