The bail application for Ethiopian man, 34, accused of raping a seven-year-old girl in his tuckshop, at Diepsloot has been postponed due to the absence of his lawyer. Picture : Zoe Selsky
The bail application for a 34-year-old Ethiopian man, accused of raping a seven-year-old Diepsloot girl in his tuckshop, has been postponed owing to the absence of his lawyer.
The man was set to file his formal bail application at the Randburg Magistrate’s Court on August 6, but it has been postponed to Tuesday, August 13.
The court postponed the bail application because the accused man’s lawyer was absent, having requested to be excused from the proceedings due to unexpected circumstances.
The man was arrested after he allegedly lured the girl and a boy, 10, inside his shop with snacks and then gave the boy R5 and told him to cover his face. Then he allegedly raped the girl.
Last week IOL News reported that the young girl's mother said that she desperately wants the court to deny him bail.
“I want him denied bail because what he did to my daughter has left her in pain and fear. She’s no longer free or safe, and she is afraid to go outside and play with her friends,” she said.
She said the young girl had become the target of ridicule at school, with other learners mocking her, making her unwilling to go to school anymore.
“This week, she only went to school for two days. Today was the second day, and I had to force her, but on other days, she refused out of fear because learners kept asking about what happened,” she said at that time.
IOL