To prevent the rearrest of a Despatch man accused of raping his stepdaughter in Cape Town and later in Nelson Mandela Bay, the defence has asked that the two dockets be merged.
The man was released on bail in the Kariega Magistrate’s Court last week.
However, he was informed that his rearrest in the Cape Town matter was imminent.
But on Monday attorney Alwyn Griebenow confirmed that his client would remain out on bail and that the charges reported in Cape Town related to the same case the 53-year-old was already arrested for in Despatch earlier in January.
“The charges in Cape Town were made based on the same statement that led to the man’s arrest in Nelson Mandela Bay, therefore an application was made for all the charges to be merged into one case and court proceedings to continue locally,” Griebenow said.
The accused faces charges related to the alleged repeated sexual abuse and rape of his minor stepdaughter between 2021 and 2022. He has previously indicated that he intends to plead not guilty to the charges.
During the period in question, the accused, his wife and her two biological children lived in Cape Town before moving to Despatch.
According to evidence led during the bail proceedings, the accused allegedly first raped his stepdaughter while the two were alone at their home in Melkbosstrand in 2021.
She was 11 years old at the time.
Further incidents allegedly occurred in Cape Town and after the family moved to Despatch.
The suspected abuse first came to light in December when the complainant’s biological father reported to the Despatch police that the accused had allegedly watched pornographic material in the presence of his daughter.
The girl was then interviewed by members of the police’s Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences Unit, and she reported the string of alleged abuse.
Last week, the accused appeared in the Kariega court and was released on R5,000 bail.
It was reported then that he could be rearrested and taken to a Cape Town court.
However, after a warrant was issued for his arrest, the accused and his attorney arranged to meet the investigating officer at the Mount Road police station on Monday morning.
From there they went to the Gqeberha magistrate’s court where Griebenow consulted with a senior public prosecutor and it was decided that an application would be made to merge all the charges, and for proceedings to continue in Nelson Mandela Bay.
Police spokesperson Colonel Priscilla Naidu confirmed that all the charges were related to the same statement made by the complainant and that all the charges were, in fact, part of the same case.
The accused is still out on bail and is scheduled to return to court on February 15.
HeraldLIVE