Byline: Nonjabuliso Nhlambo
18 April 2023
A 16 year old from Emnalenhle who is currently 8 months pregnant after she was allegedly raped by a local taxi driver from Embalenhle is yet to see justice served after the alleged suspect who raped her was arrested.
The suspect appeared before the Evander magistrate court on Monday, 17 April 2023 for his formal bail hearing.
Heaps and Khanyisa Mahlalentabeni Health workers were picketing outside the Evander Magistrate Court demanding that bail is not granted to the Suspect.
The mother of the victim said she had not been aware that her daughter was pregnant until recently this year where she walked in on her in the bathroom and to her shock, noticed the pregnancy.
‘’ I asked her to pour water for me in the bath after she finished so I could also bath, I therefore went inside before she could come out and that’s when I saw the pregnancy.
I calmly asked my daughter who is responsible and she broke into tears narrating the incident to me.
Furthermore, that the driver threatened to kill her.
That is when I took her to the police station, ’’said the mother.
It is alleged that the victim took a taxi at about 19h00 from Ext. 2 in eMbalenhle, whilst in the taxi as the passenger the driver told her he received a call to fetch people at gate 8, when the victim refused he then showed her the gun.
The suspect therefore drove to gate 8 and parked in an open veld where he proceeded to rape the victim.
The victim is now 8 months pregnant from the rape incident and dew to give birth next month.
The bail hearing was remanded by the Evander magistrate court for the suspect to produce an alternative address for his bail application.
The suspect is yet to appear at next week Monday for a formal bail hearing.
