Gold tooth “rapist” trial commences in High Court

Staff Reporter THE trial of Johan Paru Morkel, who is said to have lured minor girls into his company with the promise of installing a gold ring on their teeth and thereafter allegedly sexually assaulting them, started in the Windhoek High Court. Morkel is facing 14 charges, which range from kidnapping, rape, and indecent assault of three minor girls between 2018 and 2021 in the districts of Dordabis and Windhoek. He pleaded not guilty to all charges. In the summary of substantial facts, the state alleges that Morkel, on 21 December 2018, kidnapped a minor girl aged 15 at the time, Natasha Geises (real name withheld). It is alleged that Morkel had asked the minor if she had eaten and thereafter gave her N$5, which she used to buy chips. START OF TRIAL: Johan Paru Morkel started his trial before High Court Judge Naomi Shivute. On returning from buying the chips, Geises was intercepted by Morkel, who is alleged to have had a knife, and was led to a place near Nuwe Post where she was tied with a rope on her hands. From 21 December 2018 to 23 December 2018, it is alleged that Morkel raped the minor girl under coercive circumstances at different spots in the bush. Geises is said to have escaped when Morkel had been relieving himself in the bush. After the said offences, it is alleged that Morkel fled to Windhoek where he started renting in the Goreangab dam area. It is alleged that during the period of 30 May 2021, Morkel called the second complainant, Alicia Nangolo (real name withheld), and invited her to his residence in Green Mountain Street, where he offered to install a gold ring on her tooth. While she was seated, it is alleged that Morkel raped Nangolo and also had oral sex with her under coercive circumstances by threatening her with a screwdriver. In the third case, it is alleged that on 16 July 2021, Morkel lured another minor girl, who was aged 11 at the time, Martha Haraes (real name withheld), to his residence with the promise of installing a gold ring on her tooth. It is alleged that during this time, Morkel indecently assaulted Haraes by kissing her and touching her inappropriately on her body and buttocks. The minor managed to free herself from his grasp and ran away. The state called its first witness, Bianca Mukatu, who runs a vulnerable children’s home in Goreangab dam. Mukatu testified that three minor girls, including Haraes, Nangolo and one other girl, had been assaulted by Morkel. She informed the court that she is a resident of Goreangab dam, Green Mountain Street, and that she knew the accused as he had stayed in Goreangab and would always sit under a tree and play dominoes. She added that the minors had stayed with her as they were vulnerable children. Mukatu said that Haraes, who was aged 11 at the time, had come home with a gold ring on her tooth, and that she had reprimanded her for getting it without parental consent. She narrated that Haraes had thereafter answered that she had taken a walk to her father’s home in Goreangab and had been intercepted by Morkel, who called her and said that she had a beautiful smile and that she should get a gold ring on her tooth to promote his business of installing gold on teeth. Mukatu said she had found this strange and probed the minor further, at which point the minor broke down and relayed the alleged sexual assault. Mukatu testified that Morkel had lured both minors, Haraes and Nangolo, to his home, where he allegedly raped Nangolo and indecently assaulted Haraes. She added that she had seen more minors with gold rings on their teeth at the NGO she ran who had allegedly suffered a similar fate, but that only three parents came forward to open cases against Morkel. The post Gold tooth “rapist” trial commences in High Court appeared first on Informanté .