THREE men, including a 72-year-old man, accused of raping a seven-year-old girl on a fram outside of Kimberley were denied bail by the Kimberley Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday.
It is alleged that three accused abused the victim from January 2020 until “the ordeal was uncovered” on June 25.
It was later discovered by the doctor who performed the medical examination on the girl that she had been infected with a sexually transmitted disease.
All three accused pleaded not guilty to the charges against them and rendered individual affidavits as evidence in their bail applications.
The 72-year-old man, in his affidavit, admitted to the court that the victim is his grandchild, while one of the other accused, a 30-year-old man, is believed to be the stepfather of the victim.
The three accused indicated in their affidavits that they were employed on Spring Acres Farm and resided there.
National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) spokesperson Mojalefa Senokoatsane on Wednesday welcomed the outcome of the bail application.
“We are pleased that the accused were denied bail. This was done in the interest of justice as well as to protect the victim. The accused will remain in custody until their next court appearance in August,” said Senokoatsane.
The ANC Women’s League in the Northern Cape strongly condemned the matter and called on the justice system to finalise the case speedily and to prosecute all three accused harshly.
