Update

KNYSNA NEWS - All four suspects who were arrested in connection with the alleged rape of a minor have since turned 18 and will be tried as adults. This information came to light at the Knysna Magistrate's Court on Tuesday 8 May.

The victim, who was 15 when the alleged crime took place, was reportedly lured into a house in White Location, Knysna and repeatedly raped by all four males on 10 February last year.

The suspects abandoned bail and have been in custody since their arrest.

Suspects can now be named
Up until now, due to the sexual nature of the trial and suspects' ages, they could not be named and members of the public were not allowed during the court proceedings.

This week, however, it can be revealed that Sivenathi Nalo, Beni Didishe, Ayanda Jacobs and Beni Kope are facing charges of kidnap, attempted murder and rape.

During the very brief court appearance Constable Luxolo Belani, one of the first policemen to arrive on the scene, took the stand to give his testimony.

Belani said he was not in charge of the operation but was providing support at the time to Sergeant Thamsanqa Maqungu, who is no longer working at the Knysna police station. 

“When we got to the structure, Maqungu knocked, and when there was no response he knocked harder, which is when a young man opened the door… When we got there, the girl, who was on the bed half naked, stood up and tried to cover herself.”

He said the victim’s mother was standing at the door so that she could identify whether this was her daughter they found.

Belani could not answer most of the questions about the scene. “Maqungu was the one who was in charge of the scene and the entire operation – my job was to keep the father of the girl calm and restrain him from entering the structure. The girl’s mother was angry but the father was the angriest.”

Weapons on the scene?
The legal aid lawyer Bonaice Scheel then asked Belani about weapons that were allegedly on the floor at the scene. “I didn’t stay long enough in the room to observe everything, so I don’t recall seeing weapons,” he answered.

Scheel showed him pictures that were taken of the scene and asked whether it is as he remembers it. Belani replied that it wasn't, because the condoms he saw at the time are not depicted in the photos.

State prosecutor Chamel Sebastian entered the photos as exhibit G and said that according to results from the local record criminal centre in George there was a used condom on the scene with a left thumb fingerprint that belongs to Sivenathi Nalo, which was exhibit H.

“There was also an open condom packet with a left thumb fingerprint that belongs to Beni Kope, and that is exhibit I.”

Members of the ANC Women’s League, who have come out in support of the victim and her family since the first court appearance a year ago, were present once again.

Nolufefe Mbalo from the league's regional task team said they are pleased with how the case is going.

The case has been postponed to 10 May.