Rape case awaits psych evaluation

A PSYCHOLOGICAL evaluation of the 10-year-old girl who was allegedly raped about 900 times by her stepfather since 2013 is set to be handed to the Verulam magistrate’s court as evidence.

The case against the 43-yearold man, which includes charges of rape and other sex crimes, has been postponed to October 10.

Outstanding documents must be handed to the court before a trial date can be set. The man was denied bail last month and is presently at the Westville Correctional Centre.

The child, who cannot be named, has been taken to a place of safety and has had no interaction with family or people known to her.

Her aunt said she didn’t know how the child had been coping since her stepfather’s arrest.

A psychological evaluation was ordered after the man’s Legal Aid attorney, Mondli Mthethwa, said the State had a weak case as the only witness to the alleged rape was the child.

“There is no DNA evidence to link my client to this case,” he said.

Since the allegations emerged in June, the furious Verulam community has been calling for mob justice. At the time, residents claimed the girl was locked in the shack and raised the alarm when she managed to escape.

Sex toys, condoms, lingerie and liquor bottles were found at the premises, which residents said indicated that sex acts had been committed there.

State prosecutor San Bhartu claims the man raped his stepdaughter, used a vibrator on her, forced her to watch pornography and masturbated in front of her.

An analysis of the man’s cellphone, which Bhartu said contained child pornography, is also expected to be raised at the next court sitting.

Her mother, the accused’s girlfriend, died in 2014, and the child’s father died last year.

According to the State, the girl has not been to school regularly since 2013 and has since been admitted to Grade 3. “We don’t know how she’s doing at school or whether she’s going to school,” said her aunt. “We’re just thankful he is behind bars and cannot threaten us anymore.”

It previously emerged that, after her mother’s death, the accused allegedly threatened the victim’s family, before taking custody of the child.

According to the child’s aunt, justice would only be served if the accused “is locked up forever”.