‘Genital’ case: Danish man abandons bail

The Danish gun shop owner charged with sexual assault and contravention of the Health Act after allegedly performing several genital mutilation procedures on women over the past five years, yesterday abandoned his bail application in the Bloemfontein Magistrate’s Court.

This comes after Home Affairs applied to have 63-year-old Peter Frederiksen’s South African citizenship revoked when it became apparent he had convictions pending against him in Denmark and neighbouring Lesotho.

Frederiksen had received a six months prison sentence in Denmark relating to the illegal possession of firearms and ammunition, while he had also been released on bail pending a charge of assault in Lesotho.

“Under these circumstances, it doesn’t make sense to apply for bail,” said Frederiksen’s attorney, Adriaan Janse van Rensburg.

He also divulged that two women had since pitched up at Frederiksen’s Bloemfontein gun shop, claiming they had voluntarily undergone the genital mutilation procedures at Frederiksen’s hands, and that it had been for cultural purposes.

Police investigators confirmed this, but said the women still needed to go for medical examinations to confirm their claims.

Frederiksen was arrested on September 17 in Bloemfontein after police received information that he had photographs of the women whose private parts he had removed.

When the Hawks raided his townhouse, they found 21 packages with parts of female genitalia in his freezer. They found several photographs on his cellphone, depicting his alleged victims and different stages of his operations.

Police also confiscated scalpels and other medical equipment as well as anaesthetics.

Frederikson is charged with three counts of assault with the intent to do grievous bodily harm, with an alternative charge of sexual assault in each case. He is also charged with the possession and production of child pornography, plus the removal of human tissue.

The directorate of public prosecution indicated that it needed time in order to have DNA samples examined by a forensic laboratory, which is normally a time consuming process.

The case was postponed to December 7 for investigation. The accused remains in custody. – ANA

Sixty-three-year-old Peter Frederiksen had received a six months prison sentence in Denmark Home Affairs statement