John Kakule to be sentenced next month for raping a woman in Mount Gambier

A dental technician who raped a woman in a horrific attack said she lost the relationship with her brother because he chose to believe her predator’s lies over her.

A woman lost her relationship with her brother after he chose to believe her “calculated” rapist’s lies over her, a court heard.

John Kakule, 46, was found guilty by a jury in the District Court in August of assault with intent to rape, indecent assault and rape.

A victim impact statement was read to the District Court by the prosecutor on Thursday.

The victim said she lost her relationship with her brother – her only family in Australia – because he chose to believe Kakule’s lies over her.

“I know in John’s heart he knows what he did – he is too ashamed to speak the truth,” she wrote.

The victim said Kakule had forced her out of her local community due to the shame she felt.

“I don’t want any more lifts, I don’t want this to happen again,” she said.

“I will always feel shame even though this is not my fault … he took advantage of me.”

The prosecutor told the court the vulnerable victim repeatedly rejected Kakule’s advances prior to the “calculated” assaults.

John Kakule was found guilty of multiple charges after a trial. Photo: Facebook

During the prosecution’s opening statement, the court heard the victim relied on Kakule and others to help her in Mount Gambier.

Kakule drove the woman to a secluded area in 2019 and said “I planned to bring you here and I’m going to do it”.

“He then attempted to pull up her skirt, leggings and her underwear,” the prosecutor said.

“He restrained her while he was doing this, pushing her down so she was unable to move.”

The court heard the woman tried to call triple-0 but Kakule grabbed her phone and threw it in the back of the car.

He apologised to her and said he’d never do it again.

A couple of days later Kakule and the woman were at his house, when he raped her.

The prosecutor said the woman was initially able to crawl under the table to get away from him but Kakule laid on top on her and pulled her dress and her underwear down.

The court heard Kakule called the woman after the rape and said something similar to “I’m sorry, forgive me”.

“He told her he didn’t want to go to jail and he offered to buy her a car and teach her to drive if she told the police that they were boyfriend and girlfriend,” the prosecutor said.

The court heard when Kakule was interviewed he told police it was the victim who made the first sexual advances towards him and he returned them.

During her closing statement, Carrie Demertzis, for Kakule, said the victim may have lied about their consensual sex because she was “ashamed of their conduct”.

Ms Demertzis told the District Court on Thursday Kakule was appealing his conviction.

The court heard Kakule, who was a married father-of-seven, was working as a dental technician before being taken into custody.

Judge Joanne Tracey will sentence Kakule next month.