A 13-year-old girl was found by her mother naked in a room, where it is believed that’s where she had been kept prior to her kidnapping. She was kept there overnight and allegedly raped three times by a 21-year-old man who had kidnapped her at gunpoint.

8-year-old came forward with information and told the victim`s mother she had seen the accused grab and pull the victim into his room, said the case investigating officer Sergeant Sibonelo Lucas Mzila.

According to Mzila, the state was still trying to locate the 8-year-old as a state witness.

The detective said evidence was that the teen had been sent by her mother to a tuckshop to get fruit.

“On her way back she was approached by the accused who proposed love to her and when she refused he grabbed her and produced a firearm pointing it at her and took her to his room.”

As the investigation was ongoing more information came to light, the accused allegedly raped the girl twice using a condom, and the following day he did so without a condom. He also allegedly assaulted the teen with a pipe on her body for not wanting to go with him to Inanda, where he lives.

Mzila also produced evidence that the accused had been with his brother at the time of the alleged kidnapping. However, the brother had not been charged as he could not be linked to the crime.

“The accused is a flight risk and it is highly likely that he will evade trial. The community found the kidnapped girl in his room. He and his brother ran away as the community was looking for him, and the community phoned the police.”

Mzila said that following the accused’s arrest, when the community saw his brother in the area they were in “high spirits”, wanting to take the law into their own hands.

“We had to explain to the community why his brother was not charged, the community warned that if the applicant is released his life would be in danger. What community will open its arms and accept a person facing such a charge? If he relocates, how will neighbors who have 13-year-old children feel?” Mzila asked the court.

In seeking bail, Legal Aid attorney PM Dlamini told the court that the accused pleaded not guilty, was unemployed, had no children, and lived with his mother who he supported through piece jobs in construction.