JADE WITTEN
Court Reporter
THE DIRECTOR of Public Prosecutions has two months to decide whether to go ahead with a prosecution against two brothers accused by casual workers of sexually assaulting them at a factory in Blackheath.
Blue Downs magistrate Linda van Tonder released brothers Hein and Enrico van Vuuren yesterday on free bail, saying the case against them had been “fabricated and without substance”.
Four casual workers alleged that the brothers had assaulted them and then forced them to perform oral sex on them on April 5.
Van Tonder said the State had a weak case against the brothers. “It seems… revenge was the only motive…since they did not pay the workers,” she said.
It emerged during the bail application that Hein van Vuuren had refused to pay the workers because they had been smoking dagga at the brothers’ timber factory.
The workers had gone to Mfuleni police station but said police had not been interested. Charges of sexual assault and rape had then been reported three days later.
Van Tonder said there was no risk the brothers would evade their trial, interfere with witnesses, undermine the criminal justice system or disturb public peace.
“Based on their history, it is unlikely they would do that. On the contrary, they employ people from the community and their business helps keep other families in Mfuleni and surrounds alive,” Van Tonder said.
The brothers are due back in court on June 21.