(Archive photo: Isabel Venter/Maroela Media)
The case of a man from the North West, who managed a place of safety for children, is so serious that he will now be tried in the Pretoria High Court.
The 59-year-old man* is charged together with his 57-year-old wife. Both will have to appear in the High Court for the first time later this year.
On Wednesday, the state officially served the indictment on the couple and indicated that the case is being transferred to the High Court.
According to the indictment**, the complaints, which include rape, attempted murder and human trafficking, relate to a victim who was a resident at the place of safety. Allegedly, this victim was sexually exploited.
There are a total of 11 charges, two of which relate to the female accused.
The man is on trial for human trafficking, rape, two charges of assault with intent to seriously injure, attempted murder, that he terminated two pregnancies as an unqualified person, possession of unregistered firearms and ammunition, and that he may have possessed or produced child pornography.
He and his wife are also charged together with having managed the place of safety without the necessary registration and authorization as a temporary place of safety. According to the state, the place of safety was deregistered in February 2025, but despite that, children were still placed, received and cared for there without the necessary court orders.
The woman faces charges related to failing to report knowledge of sexual offenses to the relevant authorities. According to the state, the woman was apparently aware of the abuse, but failed to report it.
According to the state, the alleged victim became pregnant in 2019 after the man forced her to have sex with him. He then apparently drugged her and performed an abortion on her.
After this, the alleged victim apparently approached a local pastor’s wife and told her what had happened to her. The accused then allegedly assaulted her. In the period from January 1, 2018 to December 31, 2022, the man apparently also forced the alleged victim to walk naked, while stones were thrown at her. According to the state, at one stage the complainant was also fired upon.
The complainant reported the alleged incidents to the police last year, after which the place of security was legally searched. The state claims that on March 31, illegal firearms and ammunition were found, as well as an electronic device belonging to the man on which explicit images of children were apparently found.
The woman was released on bail of R1 000 after her arrest on 22 February. The state did not oppose this and agreed that her husband’s bail, who had already appeared in court several times last year, should be extended.
The two will make their first appearance in the High Court in November this year.
The couple’s legal representative indicated earlier that there is an “application in the High Court against the warrants” and that a trial date is awaited. Maroela Media made inquiries after no record of the application could be found on the High Court’s online system. The lawyer was asked for a case number and whether the application may have been filed in another high court in the North West.
The legal representative indicated in his response that “no further comment will be made” and that the cases are “pending”.
“Our clients’ rights remain reserved. If our clients feel they want to address the media, we will arrange this at an appropriate stage.”
* Due to the charge of rape, the accused may not be identified at this stage.
** The indictment, a public document, was officially obtained from the High Court.