Cape Town - Charges of sexual assault involving eight boys in 2015 could be reopened against murder accused Yagyah Robyn.
Robyn, who is accused of raping and strangling his 14-year-old cousin Camron Britz to death in Ocean View on Sunday, dropped a bombshell when he ditched his bail application in the Simon’s Town Magistrates’ Court on Thursday.
The 19-year-old appeared nervous as he stepped into the dock, and used his long khaki hooded jacket and baseball cap to hide his face from the flashing cameras of the media.
He was supported by his family inside court.
The court was filled with angry Ocean View community members while others protested outside, carrying placards and hurling abuse at the accused.
“Kap sy * *** af,” they shouted. ("Chop off his penis.")
Camron's mom, Berenice breaks down at court. Picture: Jack Lestrade
When Magistrate Crystal McKenna heard Robyn would be abandoning his bail application because his life was in danger, she asked him to confirm if this was true.
Robyn looked straight ahead and nodded, saying: “Yes”.
While his family remained calm, community members cheered.
Robyn was adamant on Wednesday that he would be applying for bail, drawing howls of anger from the community, who vowed “to kill” him should he be released.
Robyn also appointed a Legal Aid lawyer to represent him.
Yagyah Robyn. Picture: Supplied
Prosecutor, Darlin Buchner, said the State had a strong case against Robyn because they had eyewitnesses who allegedly saw him with Camron.
“An eyewitness saw him running away with the victim in the direction of the bush [on Saturday]. And an eyewitness saw him coming out of the bush alone [on Sunday],” said Buchner.
The State asked for the matter to be postponed to 3 August for further investigation.
Outside court, Camron’s mother Berenice Britz, 41, was overcome with emotion and fainted.
She was quickly carried off and taken home by relatives.
Camron Britz, 14. Picture: Supplied
Prosecutors are set to prove that on the evening of Saturday 1 July, while Robyn stood with Camron at a community bonfire, he allegedly lured her to the bush under the pretext that her father had called her.
He allegedly took her to his secret lair in the bush along Slangkop Road, where he raped her vaginally and anally, strangled her and shoved a branch or reed down her throat.
He then allegedly dumped her body a few hundred metres away where it was found on Sunday at noon by Camron’s 11-year-old brother.
Police took blood samples at the secret lair.
On Wednesday, the State also revealed that Robyn had previous cases of sexual assault against him, which were withdrawn in 2015.
He allegedly sexually molested eight boys.
Community leader Laetitia Booysen, 35, said they are now looking to reopen these cases but will discuss it with the boys’ families first.
“His family wants to hide his past, but ons sal dit weer oopvlek, we are going to bring it up again,” she tells the Daily Voice.
The community has vowed to have the 8 molestation charges reopened. Picture: Jack Lestrade
Camron, who was in Grade 8 at Ocean View High School, chillingly predicted her own death by writing poems, describing how her family would see her in a coffin.
She also told friends she had a nightmare she was being gang-raped, but that she could not see who her attackers were.
Camron’s sister Roshney Britz, 20, confirmed the girl will be laid to rest on Saturday.
“My mother is very happy he is not going to get bail, now he can go to jail and feel what it’s like inside prison,” says Roshney.
“And by hiding his face in court, he is showing us that he is guilty of killing Camron.”
Funeral proceedings will begin at 7am at the Ocean View Civic Centre, before moving to the New Apostolic Church at 8am.