Cape Town - There was chaos at the Wynberg Magistrate's Court on Monday when Pagad demanded that a madressa teacher accused of molesting a 13-year-old girl be denied bail and stay in jail.
Abdul Karriem Davids from Surrey Estate appeared on a charge of sexual assault after the mother of the victim laid charges against him last week.
The 44-year-old teacher and owner of the Halawat Ul Qur’an Haafith Academy in Ottery, was arrested by the Mitchells Plain Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences (FCS) Unit on Thursday at the school.
He was taken to Grassy Park Police Station where he was charged for the alleged incident, which occurred during Ramadaan, in May.
The suspect spent the weekend in a jail cell after his lawyer failed to get him released on Thursday night.
On Monday, members of Pagad (People Against Gangsterism and Drugs) who came to support the alleged victim’s family, spoke out in court when the prosecutor said that the state would not oppose bail.
But, Magistrate Goolam Bawa, would not tolerate rowdiness in his court and threw the Pagad members out.
Davids was released on R1000 bail with strict conditions.
He has to report to Manenberg Police Station three times a week, is not allowed to leave the Western Cape, and may not have any contact with the 13-year-old girl and her family.
The mother of the girl says the magistrate did not indicate whether Davids could return to the school.
She had removed her daughter from the school in June, amid rumours that other girls were also allegedly being victimised.
However, no one else has come forward since his arrest.
According to the mother, the alleged incident with her daughter occurred during the Fast.
“The children attended Taraweeh [evening prayers] and would have a meal there.
“According to my daughter, she was in the section where the girls pray. The prayer area is sectioned off where the girls are behind a partition.”
The teacher allegedly approached the girl and asked her why she did not greet him.
“So she greeted him by kissing him on the cheek, but he turned and kissed her with an open mouth and then grabbed her bum,” the mother alleges.