Cape Town - Three Burundian nationals accused of kidnapping and raping a 14-year-old girl made a brief appearance in Wynberg Magistrate’s Court yesterday.
The accused – Isaac Murishi, Paul Bucumi and David Ndayisasa, were arrested on November 17 and 18.
They have been charged with kidnapping, rape, and extortion.
According to the State, the victim said they forced her into a white car while she was walking to a gym near her home in Samora Machel on November 12.
She was then driven to Parow where she was allegedly raped by Murishi. Police managed to trace her and arrested Murishi and Bucumi. Ndayisasa was apprehended the following day.
Yesterday, the accused informed the court they have replaced their legal representation, and the case was postponed to December 11 for a formal bail application and for the status of their citizenship. The teen’s family said after she returned home, she was so traumatised that she couldn’t eat.
“What happened to her was devastating and she is still recovering from the trauma. We have decided to keep her home and her school understands this.
“We are also still traumatised by the incident. We were shocked to learn that she had been taken by these men.
“She is not someone who would disappear and not tell us where she is. So when she didn’t return, we knew that something was wrong,” the victim’s aunt said.
“After reporting it to the police, we kept calling her number but couldn’t reach her. We finally got a response when we called with our neighbour’s phone number.”
She said the kidnappers texted on the girl’s cellphone and demanded a ransom of R10 000, or the family should hand over the teen’s cousin, also 14. The kidnappers only communicated with the family via text, the aunt said.
The State prosecutor said the accused were positively identified by the victim. The court heard: “On the date of November 12, the victim was reported missing by the family of the victim and on November 14 the police received information of the whereabouts of the victim.
“They proceeded with the investigation, which led them to the location of the victim on the Sunday at an address in Parow Valley.
“They found individuals who are foreigners, men and women, including a hostage – the victim, who was held in a room at the back of the house.”
mandilakhe.tshwete@inl.co.za
Cape Argus