A Winterveldt man, arrested for allegedly raping a pregnant goat, will appear in court again this Monday.
The 33-year-old man, who may not be named as he has yet to plead, has been in custody since his arrest on August 15 last year.
He was arrested and charged with bestiality after allegedly raping his neighbour’s pregnant female goat.
On Tuesday, inspector Mishack Matlou said the SPCA would oppose the man’s bail application due to “the gravity and seriousness of the offence”.
“Cruelty to animals is a serious offence,” said Matlou.
“He abused the animal in the most cruelest manner. He inflicted a lot of pain, suffering and harm upon the animal; therefore, he must face the law.”
Matlou also cited fears of continued intimidation of witnesses.
ALSO READ: UPDATE: North man to be sentenced for raping pregnant goat
The accused’s neighbour, and owner of the goat, Knowledge Khumalo said he heard the goat making strange noises around 20:00 on the evening in question.
“I did not take it seriously, I thought maybe it was about to give birth since it was pregnant,” said Khumalo.
When he woke up the next morning, he went to check in on the kraal and found the goat was missing.
“I went around the community looking for the goat without any success,” said Khumalo.
“Later when I returned home, I found the goat was back. However, it looked unwell.”
As he was examining the goat, a man approached Khumalo and asked whether he was the goat’s owner.
“He then told me that he had been at the suspect’s shack that morning and had found the goat in his bed,” said Khumalo.
Community members, including CPF members, later converged at the suspect’s shack where they confronted him.
ALSO READ: UPDATE: Case against north ‘goat rapist’ postponed again
“Initially he denied raping the goat, but later he confessed to the CPF members that he raped the goat because he had found the animal at his shack,” said Khumalo.
The man is said to be bricklayer by profession and was reportedly paid R4 500 earlier on the day of the alleged rape for work.
“He must have drunk a lot,” said Khumalo.
Khumalo said he was shattered to see the raped goat in such a sad state.
“I felt I should have done something to protect the goat,” he said.
The goat was put down by the SPCA after the sexual assault.
Matlou said the incident was the “highest form of animal cruelty I have ever experienced”.
“As the SPCA, we want to call on the judiciary to take tough action against cases of cruelty against animals.”
ALSO READ: GRAPHIC IMAGE: North man in court for ‘raping’ pregnant goat
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