Verulam girl's family 'ecstatic'
A relative of a 10-year-old Verulam girl who was raped and abused - allegedly by her stepfather - says the family is relieved the man will stay locked up.
The 43-year-old was denied bail in the Verulam Magistrate’s Court, earlier today.
He is facing a slew of charges - including sexual grooming and exposing a minor to pornographic material - and stands accused of having kept his stepdaughter captive and subjecting her to routine abuse, over a period of five years.
Magistrate Irfaan Khalil rejected his argument - that the State's case was weak - and said that releasing him on bail would disturb the public order.
The child's aunt says it is a small victory for her niece.
“We are ecstatic that we got justice but we just have to wait for the main trial now,” she says, “We as a family, we are sticking together and we are not backing down. In the end, justice will prevail”.
The man is due back in court in August.
In the meantime, the Department of Social Development says the child is on the road to recovery.