Douglas - An Ethiopian national, accused of kidnapping and raping an eight-year-old boy, told the Douglas Magistrate’s Court on Monday that he only arrived in the small Northern Cape town weeks after the alleged incident took place and only after learning that his brother was facing similar charges.
Deselie Lambore was remanded on Monday into custody until August 4, when his bail application will be heard after being accused of raping a young child at the end of May.A packed courtroom, filled with members of the community demanding that he be kept in custody, along with several foreign nationals supporting their fellow asylum seeker, were all demanding justice.
While residents insisted that no bail be granted to persons accused of violent offences, some of the foreigners in attendance were convinced that the charges against the 35-year-old were little more than a thinly veiled instance of xenophobia.
The investigating officer, Detective Warrant Officer Danny Slamat, testified how the young victim had had no trouble identifying his assailant after eventually opening a case a week after the alleged incident.
According to Slamat’s testimony, the boy went to the tuck shop in Tortelduif Street to buy chips when the accused called him to a room at the back.
“The complainant says a ‘k*elie’ pulled him into a room at back,” Slamat said.
“He was on his knees and started to scream but the accused taped his mouth closed. The accused then put him in a crawling position, pulled down his pants and put his penis into his anus. The boy couldn’t scream because his mouth was taped.
“He (the complainant) said It was very painful. When the attack was finished the accused wiped off the boy with toilet paper and threatened to kill him if he told anybody about what had happened.”
Slamat added that the boy had eventually told his grandmother of the incident on May 30 after initially hesitating to do so out of fear for his safety.
“We went to the tuck shop with colleagues from the Douglas police station and the complainant on June 2 but could not find the accused.”
Slamat said that Lambore was eventually arrested on June 22 after being positively identified by the complainant.
“The complainant pointed out the accused, who was sitting in front of the shop, without hesitation. I believe that the State has a very strong case because he managed to point out the accused without any doubt after describing him as tall with a light complexion. This description could have been anybody but he immediately identified the accused.”
However, Lambore pleaded not guilty to both charges when he testified on Monday that he was in Bothaville on May 26, when the alleged incident is said to have occurred. He added that he had only come to Douglas after his brother had called him for help after he had been arrested on similar charges.
“I came to Douglas for the first time ever on June 6 after my brother had been arrested and called me for assistance,” Lambore said.
“This kind of act is not tolerated by our culture or religion. I know nothing about this incident and I don’t know the victim.”
While Slamat maintained that Lambore was lying about his whereabouts at the time of the incident, Lambore’s defence lawyer, Ferdi van Heerden, pointed out that the accused had been asked to provide personal information, including his address, in English which was not his native tongue.
This, despite the availability of an interpreter to question him when his brother was granted bail of R10 000 last week in connection with the alleged rape and kidnapping of another minor victim under much the same circumstances.
Court adjourned late on Monday afternoon with the bail application set to continue next Tuesday. Lambore will remain in custody until this date.
DFA