The trial of C-Max escapee Annanias Mathe will be heard next year by the Johannesburg High Court, the SABC reported on Friday.

Mathe appeared briefly in court on Friday and his matter was set down for 16 February. He was facing 77 charges, including rape, attempted murder, cruelty to animals and housebreaking.

The cases against him were reported in Rustenburg and Lichtenburg in North West, Thabazimbi in Limpopo and several locations in Gauteng.

In November 2006, Mathe (31) made headlines when he broke out of Pretoria's C-Max prison, regarded as the most secure in the country.

Sapa