EXCLUSIVE: The behavior of a close compatriot of convicted South African rapist and pedophile Dawi de Villiers will be examined under the microscope in a Showmax true crime series airing next month.
Convict Conman which the trailer revealed, follows an investigation by journalist Jana Marx, who receives a tip to look into Michael O’Connor.
O’Connor says de Villiers, known as Kempton Park Hugh Hefner and currently serving a life sentence, is a “good friend” and the series will explore what else they have in common. Marks received information about O’Connor, who ran a photography publishing house and wanted to start business and fashion magazines, but the Covid-19 pandemic was in full swing and employees had never met him or seen his face. The program also includes interviews with de Villiers’ victims.
De Villiers, the founder of Modeling South Africa, was found guilty of rape, sexual assault, sexual grooming, fraud, exposing children to and accessing pornography in February 2017.
Convict Conman is the directorial debut of the documentary series Nikki Comninos, winner of the South African Film and Television Award, who has been nominated for three SAFTA awards in the last two years for her work on the film Steinheist, Devilsdorp AND Murder in Paris.
“We dedicate this series to those who were harmed by Dawie de Villiers and to all those who have experienced sexual violence,” Comninos said. “I am outraged by Dawi’s actions and, unfortunately, by the actions of so many men, especially in South Africa, where we have one of the highest rates of gender-based violence in the world. Convict Conman it will drive you crazy, but it will also warm your heart and make you laugh.”
Devilsdorp producer IdeaCandy is in charge of production, and MultiChoice Studios is in charge of international sales. The program will start next month.
The news comes a week after Showmax unveiled its relaunch, which will go live in February with a new app and suite of products featuring, among other things, British Premier League football matches. This follows the announcement earlier this year of a partnership between Showmax and Comcast’s NBCUniversal and Sky.
