‘It wasn’t rape. She loved kinky sex’

546 Hermanus Engelbrecht who is charged with with rape, child abuse, assault and attempted murders appeared for bail hearing at the Springs Regional court. 040614 Picture: Boxer Ngwenya

546 Hermanus Engelbrecht who is charged with with rape, child abuse, assault and attempted murders appeared for bail hearing at the Springs Regional court. 040614 Picture: Boxer Ngwenya

Published Jun 5, 2014

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Johannesburg - “I did not rape my wife – she loved kinky sex.” This was one of the oddest pieces of evidence heard in the trial of a 36-year-old Springs man charged with the multiple rape of his wife.

The man – who cannot be named to protect the identity of his children – also faces charges of abusing his children, assault with intent to do grievous bodily harm, and attempting to kill his 11-year-old son.

On Wednesday, he did not take the stand in support of his bail application but vowed, in a sworn affadavit read out by his lawyer, to plead not guilty to all charges against him. He was adamant that he was not aware of the rape charges against him.

“I have not been supplied with a fully circumscribed charge sheet and therefore do not know what offences I am charged with,” he told the court through his counsel, advocate Sog van Eck.

“I have been informed that the charges preferred against me thus far were child abuse, assault with intent to do grievous bodily harm and murder.”

Van Eck maintained that his client would deny all the charges against him.

Detailing his reasons, he said: “I have not been advised as to the exact allegations that are to be preferred against me in the course of the trial in this matter. In the light thereof, I elect to remain silent in so far as the merits of the case were concerned. I have been advised, which advice I accept, that I have a constitutional right.”

However, he broke his oath to remain silent soon after the investigating officer, Rudolf Jansen, presented incriminating evidence against him, particularly the rape claims.

The accused sobbed when Jansen testified that his wife had made a sworn statement alleging that he repeatedly assaulted her and forced her to have sex with him.

Jansen’s rape testimony soon thereafter became the highlight of the cross-examination.

Van Eck tried his best to refute the wife’s claims. He said his client would testify that his wife “loved kinky sex”.

The kinky sex claim was corroborated by a relative, Petro Niemandt. Niemandt told the court that her granddaughter had informed her that the accused’s wife spent most of her days in her bedroom watching pornography.

But Jansen remained steadfast, saying the wife described her husband as a violent person and serial abuser.

The court also heard that the accused exposed his children to pornography. The accused also blamed his wife for the multiple injuries on his 11-year-old son.

 

Judgment on the bail application was expected on Thursday.

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The Star

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