Man accused of raping two-year-old released by police
Prosecutors say they didn't have enough information to place the matter on the court roll.
File image for illustration: iStock
The man accused of raping his partner’s two-year-old girl in Reiger Park, Boksburg, has been set free, after prosecutors said they couldn’t place the matter on the court roll at the Boksburg Magistrate’s Court on Monday.
They said they would need to collect more information before proceeding with the case, which led to police releasing the 34-year-old man.
National Prosecuting Authority spokesperson Phindi Mjonondwane stressed that the case was not over, IOL reports, adding that the case has not been struck from the roll, but rather has not yet been placed on it.
“All I can say is that prosecutors said the information in the docket was not enough to place the matter on the roll. We took the docket back to the SAPS with instructions on what to do.
“This does not mean that this is the end of the case,” she said.
Police confirmed with EWN on Saturday that a man alleged to have raped a two-year-old toddler in Reiger Park, Boksburg, had been arrested and charged with rape.
The alleged perpetrator was reportedly arrested this past Friday and is accused of sexually assaulting the toddler, after he was asked by the girl’s mother to take her to her nanny.
It is alleged that the woman took her child to hospital after she was acting strangely the night she was allegedly raped.
An examination revealed her worst nightmare, that her child had indeed been sexually assaulted.
Reiger Park community spokesperson Chetwick Wagner told News24 that since they heard that the man was released, the community felt that they were unsafe.
“If he can do it to one child, he can do it to other children as well,” Wagner said.
“Many women in the community are fearing for their lives and the lives of their kids.”
Wagner added that the community was also angry and hurt because the matter was not put on the court roll.
“The community is very upset. They feel like they are being failed by the justice system.”
They are expected to meet their local councillor to find out why the matter was not brought before court, Wagner said.
“The community forum and various other organisations are going to have a meeting with the local councillor to seek answers as to why so many cases aren’t placed on the roll at the Boksburg Magistrate’s Court.”
He said that legal and peaceful marches were also a consideration because the community was fed up.
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