Will politician accused of rape receive bail?
By the end of business today, the province and the rest of the country will know the outcome of the bail hearing of a Mpumalanga ANC politician accused of sexually assaulting his daughter.
The politician in question was arrested on Monday September 28, along his stepson. The latter has also been accused of raping a minor. Both appeared in the Nelspruit Magistrate’s Court where they formally applied for bail. First to be on the witness stand was the politician’s wife who painted a colourful picture of her husband.
They have been together for the past 24 years and have been officially married for 16 years. She described him as a loving and caring father to all his children and the community at large, particularly the destitute.
The court also heard that one of the children who had allegedly been raped suffers from attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), which is in simple terms a chronic condition that affects children and often continues into adulthood. It includes a combination of persistent problems, such as difficulty sustaining attention, as well as hyperactivity and impulsive behaviour.
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On the other hand, the state that is opposing bail argued that it has a strong case against the accused. Also taking to the stand was the investigating officer, who told the court that the children were taken to a place of safety. He also detailed some horrific details of how they were allegedly abused and how one of them was bleeding from her genitals.
After a presentation by both the state and the defence team, the court reserved its judgement and postponed the case to today for a verdict.
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Outside court, supporters of the politician, mostly from his home town, were joined by a few ANC members who believe there is a greater political hand at play and showed their support by singing revolutionary songs.
The EFF also made its presence known as it came in numbers in support of the victims. The DA in the province has since called for transparency and the rule of law to take its course without any political interference.
