- A man accused of raping and killing a four-year-old minor has appeared in a North West Court.
- It is alleged that the accused raped and killed the victim, after apparently failing to rape her mother.
- The victim was allegedly strangled to death and found in the bushes along with her clothes in Kgomotso village near Taung.
A 26-year-old man, accused of kidnapping, raping, and killing a four-year-old child, after apparently failing to rape her mother, has made his first appearance in a North West Court.
Johannes Bafana Mans appeared in the Kgomotso Periodical Court in Taung on Monday on charges of rape, attempted rape, kidnapping, and murder.
According to the National Prosecuting Authority, the victim's mother, a friend and Mans were drunk and walking home from a tavern to the friend's house during the early morning hours of 15 May.
The minor victim and six other children were at the house.
Intervened
Once at the home, it is alleged that Mans attempted to rape the victim's mother, but her friend intervened and stopped him.
It is alleged that Mans then waited for her and her friend to fall asleep before kidnapping the victim.
Mans allegedly took her to nearby bushes, where he raped and killed her.
"Upon realising that the child was missing in the morning, the 32-year-old [mother] then reported the matter to the police and a search was conducted, which led them to the nearby bushes where the naked and strangled body of the child was discovered."
The victim's body and clothes were found in the bushes on Sunday, 16 May, at Kgomotso village near Taung.
The matter has been postponed to 31 May for further investigations and legal representation.
Mans has been remanded in police custody until the next court appearance.