Party demands life sentence for 'rapist'

THE Sasolburg Magistrates Court in the Free State postponed a rape case against a 37-year-old neighbour.

The suspect is alleged to have taken a teenage girl into his house on Monday, 1 January and raped her.

As the victim's family and angry members of the African Congress for Transformation (ACT) party sat outside the Sasolburg Magistrates Court on Tuesday, 9 January, waiting for the suspect to appear, the prosecutor told them that the man was appearing before the Parys Magistrates Court for other cases that the Sasolburg Magistrates Court wasn't aware that the suspect was wanted, but that he would be brought to Sasolburg after his appearance.

A source familiar with the case told Daily Sun that the suspect was wanted for alleged rape in Parys as he was released on bail years ago and never appeared in court.

The victim's father said he now understands why the suspect's family allegedly tried everything to bribe him to release the suspect before police arrived.

"They knew their son was a serial rapist and that the police were still looking for him. So, they were hiding him at a family house in Sasolburg because he had fled from Parys," he said.

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He said the suspect is again trying to get bail but could not give the court his address. The court therefore postponed the hearing to Friday, 12 January.

Fezile Dabi ACT chairman, Kgomodile Mare, said they're very upset that the suspect has been granted bail for rape before and they're worried about how many children and women he has raped and managed to escape.

"We will stand with all the victims of this rapist and call on the courts to sentence him to life in prison where he belongs," Mare said.

Zamdela police spokeswoman Sergeant Josephine Rani confirmed that the suspect has been arrested and a case of rape is being investigated.

The case has been postponed to Friday, 12 January for a formal bail application to be made.