Alleged sexual predator to be tried in June
The 46-year-old accused from Mamre is facing four charges of rape, extortion, sexual assault and using a child for child pornography.
CAPE TOWN, April 28 (ANA) – A man alleged to be a sexual predator will go on trial in June, he heard on Wednesday in the Atlantis Magistrate’s Court.
The 46-year-old accused from Mamre, a small town just outside Atlantis in the Western Cape, is facing four charges of rape, extortion, sexual assault and using a child for child pornography.
The accused was arrested in March 2020, when four people came forward, one a minor of 16.
The accused is out on R10,000 (US$638) bail.
He was rearrested in March 2021 for allegedly breaching his bail conditions, which included not entering Mamre.
However, according to the spokesperson for the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), Eric Ntabazalila, the accused’s bail was reinstated although the State could not prove that he had breached his bail conditions.
The court ordered that the accused be placed under house arrest for the duration of his trial until the matter has been finalised.
On Wednesday, the matter against the accused was postponed to June 8, 2021, for his pre-trial hearing, which will take place in the regional court.
Previously speaking to African News Agency (ANA), a spokesperson for the victims, who requested not to be named to protect the victims’ identities, said the accused was highly respected and his actions would seem shocking and like “something out of a movie”.
“He has been luring, trapping and extorting young girls by targeting them online. He would open fake Facebook profiles and pretend to be either from a modelling agency, a fitness instructor, a doctor and once even a lesbian,” she claimed.
The woman said the accused allegedly used his community work to gain knowledge of his victims’ weaknesses and even befriended their parents for better insight into their circumstances.
“When he was arrested, police confiscated two laptops, his home and work laptop, and about four devices where he had different numbers on.
“He had over 300 pornographic videos and pictures of children and the victims, who were asked to see if they could identify other girls they may know.
“While they could, the other victims are too afraid to come forward as they are too scared of being crucified and labelled by the community,” she alleged.
Outside the court, a group against gender-based violence stood protesting and calling for justice for the victims of the accused.
– African News Agency (ANA); Editing by Yaron Blecher
