Alleged Cape Town Rapist Requests Solitary Confinement

A man from Cape Town, South Africa, accused of rape abandoned his bail application in the Bellville Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday and requested solitary confinement instead. Reports state that the 27-year-old man stands accused of raping a nine-year-old girl and then setting her on fire.

According to Eye Witness News, the nine-year-old girl had been found by residents the day after the attack. The report read that the girl was “left for dead.” It wasn’t long after the girl was found that the 27-year-old man was caught and handed over to the police. The girl is reportedly still in critical but stable condition. The girl’s grandmother told the court that the nine-year-old had been on he way to her father’s home when she was attacked.

Times Live reported that the accused man appeared before Magistrate Cyril Kroutz and packed benches of concerned community members. Deputy Women and Children’s Minister Hendrietta Bogopane-Zulu were reportedly also in attendance. Reports state that there were also crowds of protesters outside the court. While the protesters, made up of mainly women, did seem to keep the protest peaceful, according to The Citizen:

“They chanted ‘no bail’ and carried posters stating: ‘We refuse to be silent about sexual violence’ and ‘having sex with a child is a crime’.”

Crimes against children are looked down upon by those in many countries. In an earlier report by The Inquisitr, a mother was actually charged in the rape and murder of her 4-month old daughter. Jessica Lynn Howell, 25, was charged after prosecutors said she consented to and arranged for the fatal assault to occur. Prosecutors also allege the baby was raped and murdered by Howell’s boyfriend Jordan Lafayette Prince, and that Prince had previously been convicted of assaulting a child.

As for the Cape Town man accused of raping and setting fire to the 9-year-old girl, his defense did confirm that he was abandoning his application for bail, and instead made an application for him to be moved to solitary confinement at Goodwood Prison. Independent Online reported that the accused man had been attacked while incarcerated.

“The request that the accused be kept in solitary confinement is granted. It seems his life is in danger,” Kroutz said after deliberation.

While in solitary confinement, the 27-year-old was also ordered to be kept under medical observation. The case has now been postponed until March 27 pending further investigation into the man’s charges of rape, sexual assault, abduction and attempted murder.

[Image via Shutterstock/Shane Wilson Link]