Witness tells of Dros rape accused’s ‘arrogance’
The 20-year-old suspect is expected to apply for bail in the Pretoria Magistrate’s Court today.
A play area at a Dros restaurant. File photo
While waiters and customers wept in shock and disbelief, the man accused of raping a child in a toilet at Dros Watermeyer walked out with arrogance and confidence.
Last week a seven-year-old was raped inside the restaurant’s toilet, with the heinous act causing public outrage across the country.
The suspect is expected to apply for bail in the Pretoria Magistrate’s Court today.
The suspect, 20, is a former Hoërskool Die Wilgers pupil and believed to live in Lynnwood, Pretoria.
The child was playing in the kids’ area at the Silverton franchise. But she went to the female toilets and the young man allegedly followed her, locked her in a cubicle and raped her.
In a video that has since gone viral, the man is naked with blood leading to his groin and his hand over his private parts.
The footage shows the accused screaming at people who caught him in the act, cursing, while denying raping the child. He continued to argue he was perfectly sane and was only using the toilet.
According to a witness, a mother of an eight-year-old girl, the accused showed no sign of remorse even when he was arrested.
“Even when he was handcuffed, you could see the confidence and arrogance in his walk. It’s as if he was saying, ‘Yes, I did it, so what?’.
“We were so emotional and shocked.
“I can’t even explain what I felt that day,” said the Nellmapius resident who wished to remain anonymous.
While some on social media blame the child’s mother, the witness said it was not her fault. She said the restaurant was almost empty, with only four or five other tables with patrons.
The child’s mother was sitting with people, who all came with their children. The children were playing together.
“It is not the mother’s fault. She was hysterical when she discovered what happened.
“We take our kids to these places all the time because we trust they are safe and there is security, even though as a mother you monitor the child’s every move.
“As a mother, there is no way to recover from something like that.
“I have a daughter myself and, when I look at her, I sometimes think it could have been my child.”
– rorisangk@citizen.co.za
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