Verulam man who allegedly raped stepdaughter is back in the dock

A 43-year-old man who allegedly raped his 10-year-old stepdaughter about 900 times from 2013 to 2018, is expected to appear in the Verulam Family Court on Thursday. 

The man, who cannot be identified because he has not yet pleaded, was applying for bail on Tuesday.

Magistrate Irfaan Khalil postponed the case to Thursday for closing arguments and a “possible” ruling in the bail application.

At the least appearance, prosecutor San Barthu told the court that the man allegedly raped the child 15 times a month in Verulam, north of Durban.

In his affidavit, read out by his lawyer Mondli Mthethwa, he said he intended to plead not guilty to the charges.

Read: Verulam man allegedly raped stepdaughter 900 times from 2013 to 2018, court hears

“I did not rape or sexually assault my child. There’s no DNA linking me to her rape. I was supporting my child since her mother passed away in 2013,” he said.

He submitted that he could only afford R2 000 bail and added that the State’s case against him was “weak”.

The court also heard that the man had a history of violence.

In 2005, he was charged with assault and paid an admission of guilt fine of R400.

Read more: Verulam man who allegedly raped 10-year-old girl to call witness who he says can ‘prove’ his innocence

In 2006, he was convicted of two charges of assault and malicious damage to property for which he also paid a R400 fine.

The accused is charged with rape, sexual grooming of children, sexual assault, and exposure or display of or causing exposure or display of child pornography or pornography to children, assault with intent to do grievous bodily harm, compelling or causing children to witness sexual acts and child abuse or deliberate neglect of a child.

Verulam residents and security guards allegedly assaulted him on June 11 after it was alleged that he had repeatedly raped the little girl since her mother’s death five years ago.

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