Pretoria - Angry Mamelodi West residents, including members of the ANC Women’s League, were on Monday waiting with bated breath for the denial of bail to an Ethiopian tuckshop owner accused of kidnapping and raping a four-year-old girl earlier this month.
The fuming community members who made their presence felt outside the Mamelodi Magistrate’s Court chanted and held up placards reading, “Children have rights” and “Let him rot in jail”. Traffic was also affected by the picketers.
ANC Women’s League member Thokozile Msimango said the community would be up in arms should the accused be given bail. “For his safety he must stay inside because the community is yearning for his blood,” she said. Before court proceedings could begin, a stand-off ensued between residents and the accused’s countrymen, which raised tensions even higher.
A foreign owner of a tuckshop, who didn’t want to be named, said the community must allow the law to take its course instead of finding the accused guilty before he has been tried. “And even if they find him guilty we should not also be found guilty by association.”
The 38-year-old is accused of kidnapping and then raping the minor at his tuckshop on August 4 when the girl went to buy bread. The accused allegedly invited the child inside the shop, led her to a back room adjacent the shop and ordered her to take off her clothes and lie on his bed. After the ordeal the victim was asked to leave the premises. A resident found the girl stumbling and confused on the street, and when approached she allegedly indicated she had been sexually molested. Police were called in and they arrested the foreign national.
Inside the court on Monday, tension was high and gasps of disbelief could be heard from the public as the investigating officer related the series of events. He said the child was examined by seven doctors before her private parts were medically stitched.
A relative of the girl, said the ordeal affected the child. “She is isolated from the other children and not comfortable with men around her anymore.”
The bail application was adjourned to Friday.
* Comments have been closed to protect the identity of the minor or minors mentioned in the article.
Pretoria News