The family of the victim told the Observer that the girl disappeared in Rockville (Mhluzi) in July this year, “We thought that she had been kidnapped!”

A day later, a lady gave them the number of a man, and the girl’s aunt went to fetch the child at the man’s house, “She told her mother that she was walking to a shop and was approached by the man. She told the man she was not allowed to speak to him and walked away.”

According to the family member, the girl was then approached by a woman (who was with the man), who told her it was safe at the man’s house.
She went in with them, where the man apparently threatened her and allegedly raped her and kept her at his house against her will.

When the woman, who lured the girl into the house, saw that the family was looking for the girl, she contacted them and told them where the girl was.

The man apparently told the aunt that he met the 13-year-old girl at a pub.

After her aunt fetched the teenager, they took her to the hospital, where tests were done and DNA was taken. A case was also opened at the Mhluzi Police Station.

“A few days after the case was opened, the girl walked to a local shop and the same man approached her!”

It is said that she was threatened and allegedly raped again. Her family took her, once again, to the hospital and the police station.

The police managed to get the cellphone number of the suspect and asked him to come into the police station. On his arrival, he was arrested.

At his first appearance in court, the man received R3 000 bail.

• After his brief appearance in court last week, the case was postponed to a later date.