- A 79-year-old man accused of rape, sexual assault and grooming of an 11-year-old girl made a brief court appearance on Tuesday.
- The accused, who is a well-known painter in the Redelinghuys area, was arrested in April.
- The matter was postponed until next month for further investigation.
The case of a 79-year old man accused of rape, sexual assault and grooming of an 11-year-old girl was postponed for further investigation at the Piketberg Magistrate's Court following his brief appearance on Tuesday.
The elderly man was arrested in April after it emerged he allegedly raped an 11-year-old girl.
According to previous reports, the community had suspected the accused of being sexually inappropriate with children in the area.
After the accused's initial court appearance he was released on R5 000 bail with strict conditions:
- He must not be in contact with any State witness;
- Must reside at Eden Mews in Brackenfell;
- Must not enter the area of Redelinghuys;
- Must not enter Piketberg unless for a court appearance;
- Is placed under a 24-hour house arrest and correctional supervision.
It's understood the accused was living with his daughter in Brackenfell.
National Prosecuting Authority regional spokesperson Eric Ntabazalila said following the postponement of the case, the man's bail conditions had been extended.
The matter was postponed until 20 July for further investigation and a regional court date.
Local activist Billy Claassen told News24 residents did not want the man back in the area.
"We will monitor this case and are aware of certain individuals that came forward and spoke out on what happened to them also.
"We don't want to speculate and want the case to take its course. He must not ever put his foot back in Redelinghuys again. We need to take hands and protect our communities and children against sexual assault and or assault in any form."
We want to hear your views on the news. Subscribe to News24 to be part of the conversation in the comments section of this article.