Cape Town - A Mitchells Plain man, 41, accused of raping a 17-year-old girl, appeared in the Bellville Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday for the continuation of his bail application.
He is charged with rape and kidnapping after the teenager told police the man drove her to a lodge and raped her while she was blacked out instead of taking her home. It is further alleged he left her without shoes and her cellphone.
Detective Chantel Klein on Wednesday returned to the stand to answer the court’s questions after Magistrate Collin Jacks last week requested Klein to provide clarity on her evidence in opposition to the man’s release on bail.
Lawyer Sameer Sayeed said last week the accused had been told by the former investigating officer “there is no case” against him.
Klein, however, provided the court with a statement from the officer saying he did not say this. Sayeed went on to dispute the statement, saying it was only made following the court’s request and no weight could be attached to the statement.
As per the court’s request, Klein had also obtained video footage of the accused and the victim stopping outside the lodge where the alleged rape took place.
The video footage was handed in as an exhibit with Klein explaining what she saw in the footage. She said the car stopped in front of the lodge at the side of the road, there she saw the accused step out of the car and the complainant getting out of the left back seat.
“I saw the victim get out of the car and then she walked in, she wasn’t walking right, she wasn’t balanced and she didn’t have shoes on her feet and then the accused also walked in,” Klein testified.
Sayeed then grilled Klein about the strength of the case after Klein agreed the State was alleging the victim was date raped.
When he asked what medical evidence they had about the drugs the victim was given, Klein said the previous detective had not requested the drug test when the victim went for her medical exam.
“So what you are saying is no medical tests were done regarding date rape drugs. I see great difficulty in how you’re going to prove your case beyond a reasonable doubt,” Sayeed said.
Outside court, the Ravensmead community who came to support the family were disappointed.
Jennica Beukes, 29 said: “This exposes the weaknesses in the police services, especially when it comes to matters that pertain to ordinary citizens, and I’m referring to the poorest of the poor who don’t really get justice.
“As we know, four dockets were opened for one case ... We are questioning why so many investigating officers have been appointed in this matter and what kind of loopholes that creates for the case.”