Pretoria –  As Modimolle Monster Johan Kotzé’s victim looked at the men found guilty on Monday of kidnapping and gang raping her, a friend said: “You are allowed to cry Ina Bonnette. You are allowed to cry.”

Judge Bert Bam found Kotzé, Andries Sithole, Pieta Mohlake and Sello Mphaka guilty of kidnapping and of four charges relating to the rape of Bonnette.

Asked how she felt about the judgment, Bonnette said: “I am okay”. She declined to give further comment.

Kotzé and Sithole were also found guilty of killing Bonnette’s 19-year-old son, Conrad.

The other two co-accused were acquitted on the murder charge.

Kotzé hugged friends in the gallery before being taken down to the holding cells.

He had denied guilt, and claimed he could not be held accountable for his actions on 3 January 2012, the day he murdered Bonnette’s son and tortured her in his Modimolle home.

Sithole, Mohlake, and Mphaka claimed Kotzé threatened to shoot them if they did not co-operate.

National Prosecuting Authority spokesperson Medupi Simasiku welcomed the judgment.

“Yes, we are happy and we hope it brings closure to the family.”

He hoped the judgment would serve as a lesson that these types of crimes did not go unpunished.

The matter was postponed to Tuesday morning for arguments in mitigation of sentencing. SAPA