Atteridgeville, South Africa – The Atteridgeville Magistrates’ Court denied bail to a 42-year-old Zimbabwean national accused of sexually assaulting his 8-year-old stepdaughter. The accused, who shares a home with the victim’s mother in the Phomolong informal settlement, faces a serious charge of Rape.
Incident Details On April 27, 2024, the victim was left at home with the accused and a 5-year-old sibling, whom the accused shares with the victim’s mother.
While the mother was at work and the accused was preparing for a night shift, the alleged rape took place. The 5-year-old was in the toilet when the accused reportedly called the 8-year-old to his room.
Upon returning to the sitting room and finding her sister missing, the 5-year-old was told by the accused that the victim had gone to the shops. However, realizing her sister was still inside the house, she waited outside for their mother to return.
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Mother’s Discovery When the mother returned home and the accused had left for work, the 5-year-old revealed the accused’s lie. The mother then questioned the victim, who disclosed that her stepfather had been raping her. The mother promptly reported the matter to the police.
Legal Proceedings The accused was arrested on April 28, 2024, at their home upon his return from work. In court, he denied the allegations and requested bail, claiming to be the family’s breadwinner. His legal representative argued for his release, emphasizing his need to provide for his family and his intention to plead not guilty.
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State’s Opposition State prosecutor Belinda Williamson opposed bail, citing the severity of the offense, which falls under schedule 6 offenses.
Williamson argued that the accused’s familiarity with the victim posed a risk of influencing her to withdraw the charges and threatening her, as he had allegedly done previously.
Court’s Decision The Magistrate sided with the state, concluding that the accused failed to demonstrate exceptional circumstances warranting his release on bail. The court emphasized the seriousness of the charges and the potential risk to the victim.
Next Steps The case has been postponed to May 23, 2024, for transfer to the Regional Court E.
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