Man allegedly raped after ‘drug deal goes bad’

File photo

File photo

Published Apr 15, 2016

Share

Kimberley - An apparent drug deal gone wrong has led to a Kimberley man being accused of raping another man, after he allegedly rammed a piece of wire up the victim’s anus – in an attempt to find drugs.

Raymond Links, 24, appeared in the Kimberley Magistrate’s Court on Thursday on a charge of rape, following the incident during which he allegedly raped a 23-year-old man in Roodepan earlier this year.

Links made a schedule 6 bail application during Thursday’s proceedings.

During the bail application, the investigating officer in the matter testified that Links had met the complainant on March 19 and accused him of selling him Grandpa headache powder, instead of the drug khat, the previous day and demanded his money back.

The complainant then indicated that the accused should accompany him to his home and the two walked through an open piece of veld.

While Links and the complainant were walking through the veld, they were joined by two more men. One of the men reportedly tripped the complainant and he fell on the ground. As he was trying to get up, the other man then allegedly stepped on his head and he (the complainant) lost consciousness, according to the officer.

“When the complainant came to again, he found that his pants had been pulled down to his ankles and that he was lying on his back, with his legs raised. He indicated that one of the men stood on his stomach, while Links rammed a piece of wire in and out of his anus,” the officer told the court.

The complainant alleged that Links had used the wire to try and remove drugs from out of his anus and only stopped when he saw blood on the wire.

It was not stated in court whether any drugs were retrieved.

Meanwhile, a 12-year-old eyewitness also apparently arrived on the scene and saw Links pull down the complainant’s pants. According to the child’s statement, Links also allegedly told him to fetch a plastic bag from the veld, as he (Links) wanted to remove “it’ with his hands from the complainant’s anus.

The child, however, left the scene and walked away.

The four men then also left the veld and went to a house in Roodepan, where the accused told another man that “we did as you said”.

The complainant underwent a doctor’s examination on the same day, shortly after the incident, but the J88 form revealed that he had suffered “no injuries”.

The investigating officer indicated that she opposed bail being granted to Links, as he “misled” her in the search for the other two men allegedly involved in the crime by giving incorrect addresses.

She added that the complainant feared for his life following the incident and that the young witness, the accused, the complainant and the two other “suspects” all lived very close to each other.

Magistrate Benjamin September, during his ruling, said that Links’ previous convictions showed a propensity to crime, that no exceptional circumstances existed and that it was not in the interest of justice to grant bail, before denying bail.

After hearing that his bail application had been denied, Links became visibly agitated, even looking away from September while he was postponing the matter.

While being led down the stairs from the court to the holding cells below, he screamed and threw his bag down the stairs.

Links will remain in custody for the duration of the trial, which is expected to continue next month.

Diamond Fields Advertiser

Related Topics: