Durban — The Pinetown Magistrate’s Court heard how a 13-year-old girl was found by her mother and community members naked in a room, where she had allegedly been kept overnight and raped three times by a 21-year-old man who had kidnapped her at gunpoint in Molweni.
Opposing bail on Tuesday, police detective and case investigating officer Sergeant Sibonelo Lucas Mzila, through an affidavit, said an 8-year-old had come forward with information, and told the victim’s mother she had seen the accused grab and pull the victim into his room. Mzila said the girl also showed the mother the room.
According to Mzila, the state was still trying to locate the 8-year-old as a state witness.
The detective said evidence was that the teen had been sent by her mother to a tuckshop to get fruit.
“On her way back she was approached by the accused who proposed love to her and when she refused he grabbed her and produced a firearm pointing it at her and took her to his room.”
Mzila said it was allege the accused allegedly raped the girl twice using a condom, and the following day he did so without a condom. The accused is also alleged to have assaulted the teen with a pipe on her body for not wanting to go with him to Inanda, where he lives.
While the accused is charged alone, Mzila gave evidence that the accused had been with his brother at the time of the alleged kidnapping. However, the brother had not been charged as he could not be linked to the crime.
“The accused is a flight risk and it is highly likely that he will evade trial. The community found the kidnapped girl in his room. He and his brother ran away as the community was looking for him, and the community phoned the police.”
Mzila said that following the accused’s arrest, when the community saw his brother in the area they were in “high spirits”, wanting to take the law into their own hands.
“We had to explain to the community why his brother was not charged, the community warned that if the applicant is released his life would be in danger. What community will open its arms and accept a person facing such a charge? If he relocates, how will neighbours who have 13-year-old children feel?” Mzila asked the court.
In seeking bail, Legal Aid attorney PM Dlamini told the court that the accused pleaded not guilty, was unemployed, had no children and lived with his mother who he supported through piece jobs in construction.
Daily News