Cape Town - Loud cheers were heard at the Bishop Lavis Magistrate's Court on Monday when an alleged child rapist’s bail application was denied.
Bonteheuwel resident, Jerome Petersen, was arrested for allegedly raping a six-year-old girl and giving her a R5.
According to the victim’s mother, she caught Petersen in a locked bathroom with her daughter on Friday 28 July.
The girl’s family lives in a backyard dwelling behind the Petersen’s house and the girl was sent to the main house to collect water.
The child told her mother she was raped. She was taken to hospital and Petersen was arrested on the same day.
On Monday aunties from Bonteheuwel gathered at the court with Ward Councillor Angus Mckenzie to hand over a petition from the community calling for Petersen’s bail to be denied.
As soon as the police van with suspects arrived, community worker Kathy Cronje shouted: “Jy, jou * ***, hou jou R5. Daar gaan nie bail wees vir jou nie. Ons gaan jou opf**”.
During court proceedings, Petersen was informed that his bail was denied and that the case will now be postponed to 28 September and moved to the Parow Regional Court.
“The petition had just over 1500 signatures and I think today was a good day for the people of Bonteheuwel. We have all been horribly shocked but the community came together to show that we don’t want varke like this in our community,” said Mckenzie.
Meanwhile the girl and her family have been put in a safe house until they can find alternative accommodation.