Cape Town - A Surrey Estate Islamic school principal and teacher, accused of sexually assaulting a minor, was acquitted of the charges against him, without even having to take the stand.
The principal and educator at the Halāwat-ul-Qurān hifth academy, Abdul Karriem Davids, 46, appeared in the Wynberg Magistrate’s Court on Monday, on three counts of sexual assault, grooming and exposing a minor child to pornographic material.
In May, Davids pleaded not guilty on all counts, in the Sexual Offences Court. Davids was acquitted due to lack of evidence and corroborating testimonies.
The case of sexual assault was opened against Davids at Grassy Park police station in September 2019. The crime was said to have occurred in May of that year.
The victim, who is a minor, was 13 years old at the time of the alleged sexual assault and attended his school, now at Taurus Street, Surrey Estate.
The mother of the 15-year-old victim said: “I am disappointed but content. Regardless of what happened here, I believe in the Day of Reckoning where the true judgment will be given.
“Our justice system is severely flawed. I understand why victims of abuse and sexual crimes do not step forward but this has been a healing period for all of us.
“The system is not victim friendly at all. It takes a child who has experienced a traumatic event and basically allows another adult, well versed in the law, to bully them because they can't tell a story the way they should.
“The emotional conditions are not taken into consideration and things are expected to happen in perfect conditions. He did not take the stand, as the evidence was insufficient.”
National Prosecuting Authority spokesperson Eric Ntabazalila confirmed that Davids had been acquitted.
Davids was employed at Jam “Eyyatul Qurraa”, where he immediately resigned after the school had initiated an internal investigation into allegations of sexual assault against him by a staff member.
Meanwhile, taking to Facebook, the school maintains that Davids was falsely accused.
“... almost two years later, three prosecutors assigned to the case of our principal Sheikh Abdul Karriem and the courts have spoken and have ruled that our beloved principal Sheikh Abdul Karriem Davids has been falsely accused. He was found not guilty on all charges against him.”