THE court has denied bail to a 52-year-old former Edleen resident charged with child rape and the case has been postponed to August 8 when the trial will begin.
He has been accused of sexually molesting his nine- and 10-year-old step granddaughters in July and December 2015 respectively.
It is alleged that after the case was opened, the grandfather made a run for it and relocated with his wife to Cape Town where he was arrested about five months later at his brother’s house.
According to Lt Col Tobie Strauss, who is the investigating officer of the case, as well as the commander of the family violence, child protection and sexual offences unit in the Ekurhuleni North SAPS Cluster, he personally opposed bail.
“The suspect knew that he was being pursued and yet he did not contact us. He knew we were looking for him, I left messages for him and his wife but they disappeared off the radar,” said Strauss.
Strauss said he feared the suspect was a flight risk.
Hel pointed out that on the day of his arrest, the suspect had quit his job in Cape Town with no formal resignation letter.
“We suspect that he might have been packing up to make a run for it again,” said Strauss.
