Cape Town - A recovering Moyhdian Pangkaeker appeared in the Western Cape High Court, where the matter was postponed to July 26 while he recuperates from an assault.
Pangkaeker was last week attacked by fellow inmates while being transported to court from prison. When he arrived at court, Pangkaeker appeared with a swollen face and struggled to follow proceedings.
He is charged with the kidnap, rape and murder of 8-year-old Tazne van Wyk, whose mutilated body was found dumped in a stormwater drain in Worcester in February 2020.
The trial was set to continue for the cross-examination of Pangkaeker’s ex-wife, who has testified in relation to the charges he faces for incest, assault and rape of his own relatives. However, due to the nature of his injuries, the matter will only continue next month.
Advocate Saleem Halday requested a postponement on account of Pangkaeker’s “blurry vision”.
He said Pangkaeker had been referred to a specialist at Groote Schuur Hospital because the medical staff at Pollsmoor Prison were unable to provide his client with adequate medical attention.
State advocate Lenro Badenhorst had no objections to the postponement but requested that the specialist submit a report ahead of the next court date, to determine the state of Pangkaeker’s health before continuing with proceedings.
Badenhorst further indicated that the State, on the next occasion, intends to show video footage of the pointing out of little Tazne’s body.
Thus far, the State has shown footage of Pangkaeker with Tazne at a petrol station in Worcester on February 7, 2020 – the same day she went missing.
The State has also called several child witnesses, who testified in camera about the allegations against Pangkaeker, pertaining to the numerous counts of rape.
He has been charged with 12 counts of rape, which he allegedly committed between 2016 and 2019, and for intimidating the minors into remaining silent by threatening to harm them if they spoke out.
Pangkaeker also faces charges for sexual exploitation of a child, sexual grooming of a child, desecration of a corpse, and absconding from community corrections.