Verulam child rape suspect back in court
The family of the 10-year-old Verulam girl who was allegedly raped by her stepfather says they have been looking for her for years.
They say the child's mother died following an asthma attack in 2014.
The family claims the girl's stepfather moved every time they got closer to finding her.
A relative says they tried to take the child away from the stepfather, but he allegedly refused and never allowed the girl to pay her respects when her mother died.
"We tried to get the child back," she said.
The family was able to trace the little girl after news of the man's arrest broke.
The stepfather appeared in the Verulam Magistrate's Court, north of Durban again yesterday.
His formal bail application is expected to get underway today.
The 43-year-old is facing several charges, including rape, sexual grooming, exposing a child to pornography and sexual assault.
The family claims the girl's stepfather moved every time they got closer to finding her.
A relative says they tried to take the child away from the stepfather, but he allegedly refused and never allowed the girl to pay her respects when her mother died.
"We tried to get the child back," she said.
The family was able to trace the little girl after news of the man's arrest broke.
The stepfather appeared in the Verulam Magistrate's Court, north of Durban again yesterday.
His formal bail application is expected to get underway today.
The 43-year-old is facing several charges, including rape, sexual grooming, exposing a child to pornography and sexual assault.
The incident sparked outrage in the community, with many neighbours demanding the suspect be denied bail.