Ganyesa - A North West filling station owner appeared in the Ganyesa Magistrate's Court on Monday for allegedly assaulting a nine-year-old boy he accused of stealing from his shop, police said.
The matter was postponed to August 22 for further investigation, Sergeant Kealeboga Molale said.
Molale said the man could not be named as the boy was a minor.
The boy was allegedly handcuffed and tortured at a petrol station in Disipi, about 48km from Ganyesa, on May 28.
According to the boy's sister, her brother did not go to school on the day, claiming he felt ill.
“He asked me for coins to go buy sweets at the filling station at around 8am. We were called later to find him handcuffed and crying as he was being tortured by the shop owner,” she told Sapa at the time.
She cannot be named to protect the child's identity.
The police were called and spoke with the man in his office.
“They came out and told us to ask for money from the man to treat the child, and not lay a charge. We had to go to the police station the following day to open a case,” the sister said.
She said the police told the family a few days later that the alleged assailant was in Bloemfontein.
Sapa