Durban - The man charged with the rape and aggravated robbery of a 38-year-old jogger in Curry’s Post has been refused bail.
He allegedly dragged the woman off the road and raped her at knifepoint while she was jogging less than a kilometre from her family home on June 13.
Investigating officer, Sergeant Agrippa Mnikathi of the Howick Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences Unit, opposed the Mpophomeni man’s bail. He told the court the man posed a threat to witnesses if released after witnesses reported receiving threats from friends of the accused.
Howick magistrate, Ntsoaki Khahane, on Friday found it was not in the interests of justice to release the accused on bail.
The 25-year-old man, who cannot be named until he has formally pleaded to the charges, was remanded until July 29.
The ANC Youth League welcomed the decision but questioned the court’s inconsistency for granting bail the previous day to a man charged with raping two children.
“We are happy that the man was denied bail and we support the court’s decision. However, we are also disappointed that the same decision was not made on Thursday and a child rapist was allowed to walk free,” said Happy Hlongwane.
The accused in that case, charged with gagging and raping two young girls at knifepoint, was granted bail of R2 000.
“All rapists should be kept behind bars. The courts should not discriminate. All our women and children deserve to be protected,” Hlongwane said.
Daily News