THE man arrested on charges of robbery and attempted rape at Lion’s Head appeared in the Cape Town Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday.
National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) spokesperson Eric Ntabazalila confirmed that Sidney Wolhuter, 23, was charged with two counts of robbery with aggravating circumstances, two counts of attempted rape and a count of assault with intent to cause grievous bodily harm.
Ntabazalila said the victims were two women - a Japanese and a Dutch national.
He said the State would oppose bail if the accused applied and that the matter was postponed to February 7 for bail information.
Table Mountain National Park (TMNP) rangers apprehended the man on Sunday.
This was after a woman was robbed of her belongings while hiking at Lion’s Head, said SANParks TMNP.
The arrest came as a result of a joint operation between SANParks rangers, City of Cape Town metro police and law enforcement officers who located the suspect and retrieved the women’s belongings.
The man was arrested and the victims opened a criminal case.
TMNP manager Megan Taplin thanked the parties that performed the joint operation, leading to the arrest.
“Our teams will continue to monitor this area and ensure the safety of the park users. Well done to all involved and keep up the exceptional work!"