Durban — The Pinetown Magistrate’s Court adjourned the case of a Clermont teacher facing six counts of rape for further investigation, and marked it as the final such postponement as the case had been on the roll for six months with previous adjournments granted for the purposes of further investigation.
This took place on Friday in court where the 55-year-old high school teacher appeared briefly and the case was adjourned to a little over two weeks’ time. He is alleged to have committed the offences at school.
The teacher, who had been working at Clermont High School since 2008, was arrested at the school in April and in May was released on bail of R5 000 with the condition that he relocates to his chosen alternative address in northern KZN.
In the first count of rape he allegedly raped a 17-year-old girl, and it was further alleged that the girl was raped more than once.
In the second count, he is alleged, on the same day, to have sexually assaulted the girl with his finger.
In count three it is alleged that on January 19 the accused raped another 17-year-old, where the State alleges that the alleged victim was raped more than once. And six days after this alleged offence, it is alleged that he sexually assaulted the 17-year-old with his finger.
The accused is also charged with exposure of genital organs to a child, where it is alleged that in 2021 he allegedly pulled down his pants in front of a 17-year-old at the school.
In February, he is alleged to have sexually assaulted another 17-year-old alleged victim with his finger, where it is alleged that the 17-year-old was also raped more than once; this is count 6.
The accused also faces a charge of sexual grooming of children; this is in relation to another alleged 17-year-old victim.
On Friday, the State said the regional court prosecutor had interviewed all the alleged victims, and needed “two further statements”. The prosecutor had asked for more time to obtain them. After granting the State’s application for an adjournment for further investigation purposes, magistrate Wendalynn Robinson granted a counter application by the teacher’s defence that it be the final one for such purposes.
Daily News