Cape Town - The man accused of raping a 14-year-old girl and trying to stone her to death will remain behind bars for a long time before his next court appearance.
Pakiso Mpanyane, 21, made a brief appearance in the Grabouw Magistrate's Court on Tuesday on charges of rape, attempted murder and robbery with aggravating circumstances relating to the incident that took place in Grabouw in July.
Mpanyane, dressed in grey tracksuit pants and a green T-shirt, stood with his head bowed and hands folded in front of him throughout the proceedings.
Prosecutor Jermaine Rosenberg requested that the matter be postponed for a regional court date and further investigation.
But Mpanyane's Legal Aid lawyer objected to a postponement, stating that the matter has been on the court roll since July and has been postponed on two previous occasions for the same reason.
Mpanyane was arrested shortly after the incident after his victim crawled home and told her family what had happened.
He had allegedly stabbed the Grade 8 pupil in the neck with a screw driver after tying her hands and feet and raping her. He allegedly also threw rocks on her after noticing that she was still alive.
Mpanyane will remain in custody until his next appearance in March.
Daily Voice
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