More charges for stepdad accused of rape

THE prosecution has added eight more charges against a Verulam man accused of raping his stepdaughter 900 times and keeping her at their home as a sex slave for years after the girl’s mother died. The 46- year- old, who cannot be named to protect the child’s identity, was arrested in 2018 and has been in custody since.

He was denied bail in the Verulam Family Court and initially faced 48 counts, including rape.

The State confirmed yesterday it had amended the indictment and added eight more charges relating to child pornography, being involved in the sexual exploitation of a child, and sexual grooming of a child, bringing the total number of charges to 56.

It is alleged that he started raping the child, now 13, when she was 5.

He was expected to appear in the Durban High Court yesterday for the start of the trial, but he was unwell.

State senior advocate Cheryl Naidu said they were ready to start the trial.

Apparently he had not taken his medication for the past two days and indicated to his lawyer yesterday that he was not well.

The court adjourned the matter to tomorrow for the State to be provided with a copy of the doctor’s report and decide on the way forward.

“If it’s about him not getting his insulin, then the doctor will have to make a note for the prison authorities to ensure that he takes his insulin,“Judge Mohini Moodley said.

Shocking and gruesome allegations of sexual abuse the child had experienced for many years emerged after the man was arrested.

Neighbours assaulted and arrested him after she confided in one, who then blew the whistle.

The child has since been in the custody of social workers.

According to the indictment, the girl’s mother lived with the man for about two years before dying in April 2014.

The man apparently refused when the girl’s maternal family attempted to gain custody of her when she was 6.