The man accused of raping and murdering a 93-year-old ouma from Bellville South has abandoned his bail application at the Bellville Magistrates’ Court amid uproar from the community.
Eager activists gathered for the appearance of Keegan Samuels, 25, yesterday where they handed in a petition at the court with over 1000 signatures calling for his bail to be denied.
Samuels is charged for the brutal rape and murder of ouma Cynthia Doubell, 93, who was found dead in her home on Sunday, 1 August.
The shocking incident left residents reeling in shock after police were called to the home in Dammert Street where it was found that Cynthia had been beaten and strangled to death.
Family spokesperson and gender rights activist Caroline Peters says since her death, they have been working hard to get justice for ouma.
After Samuels’ first appearance, the family was informed that a rape charge had been added to the docket after the post-mortem report confirmed that the granny was raped and sodomised.
“This case has shocked everybody and left her poor family traumatised as they now have to live with the memory of the brutal manner in which she was murdered,” says Peters.
“A sore point has always been that Keegan’s mother was paid by the ouma’s family to care for her, and the ouma gave them a place to live.
“Since her death, we have been rallying support and gathered over 1000 signatures online calling for his bail to be denied.
“Over the weekend, we hosted a memorial service for her where over 80 residents also signed the petition.
“In total, we had 1263 signatures.”
Peters says they arrived at court yesterday hoping to hear the proceedings but were told they would not be allowed inside the courtroom.
“They allowed us to hand in the petition and we waited outside and were informed that he opted to abandon his bail application.
“One of the issues was that he has no fixed address as he lived at the house where the murder was committed.
“We are overjoyed that he has decided not to apply and we vowed that we will fight his application all the way.
“The family is very relieved.”
National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) spokesperson Eric Ntabazalila says the case has been postponed to 20 October for further investigations.
monique.duval@inl.co.za