File photo: African News Agency (ANA) File photo: African News Agency (ANA)
A 13-year-old Athlone girl has become suicidal after she was brutally raped, allegedly by a man in her community, the Wynberg Magistrate's court has heard.
Wazier “Koppe” Jumah, 39, made his fourth appearance in the Wynberg Magistrate's Court on Wednesday, where it was revealed he is currently out on bail for a murder case in Atlantis which dates back to 2015.
Jumah was arrested on July 26 after he allegedly snatched the girl, who was on her way home after visiting a friend, and held her hostage in his aunt’s council flat for several hours.
She was found wandering outside in the early hours of the following morning after her frantic family had launched a search.
Relatives say the girl, who was treated at Groote Schuur Hospital, had been drugged, had her pubic hair shaved and body bitten and was repeatedly raped.
During the first bail hearing, relatives shook their heads when the investigating officer, Sergeant Salome Ngotya, struggled to answer questions and revealed after more than a month, she had still not gathered crucial evidence, like the blade used to shave the girl, from the crime scene.
On Wednesday, the State prosecutor read out an affidavit made by the girl’s mother in which she stated her daughter is struggling to recover from her ordeal.
Defence lawyer Kyle Jason said his client should be given bail as the murder case was still pending and, according to Ngotya’s statement, police had not collected any evidence to corroborate the girl’s version of events and had only taken DNA samples from Jumah.
The State prosecutor said they had a strong case against Jumah and believes his previous rape conviction of a 15-year-old girl in Athlone should be taken into account before a decision about bail is taken.
Magistrate Goolam Bawa postponed the case to September 19 when he will rule on the bail application. Jumah was sent back to prison.
Outside court, residents said Jumah lied about his employment as a casual worker in his affidavit, claiming he is “a known drug mert”.