A 13-year-old rape victim from Athlone was forced to flee for her life after six men tried to kidnap her while on her way to school.
The girl, who spent several weeks in hospital last year, was allegedly chased by men wearing salaah tops after getting out of a taxi at Mowbray terminus on 15 January.
This was revealed by the girl’s family at the Wynberg Magistrates’ Court yesterday where her alleged rapist, Wazier “Koppe” Jumah, 39, appeared.
Jumah was arrested on 26 July 2018 after he allegedly snatched the girl, who was on her way home after visiting a friend and held her hostage in his aunty’s council flat for several hours.
The dazed and confused meisie was found wandering outside in the early hours of the following morning, after her frantic family launched a search.
RAN FOR HER LIFE: Chased by 6 men at Mowbray terminus. Photo: SUPPLIED
Relatives said the girl, who was treated at Groote Schuur Hospital, had been drugged, her pubic hair shaved, her body bitten and she’d been repeatedly raped.
Her mother says on 15 January she received a call from the school principal to tell her the police were called to the school after her daughter escaped the clutches of six men.
“I put her in the taxi in the morning because she only went back to school this year after the ordeal. We think she was being followed because they knew exactly where to get her,” says the upset mom.
“She told us that as she got off the taxi, a man in a salaah top and a doekie around his face shouted her name and said: ‘Jy! Wag daar so!’
“She turned and saw Wazier’s brother in the car and ran for her life. They chased her, but she made it to the school and the police were called.
“They were driving a white car and this is the same car that drives around our home.”
Police spokesperson, Captain FC van Wyk, confirms the incident and says police are investigating cases of attempted kidnapping and intimidation.
He says no arrests have been made as yet.
The girl’s frightened family say she has since been moved out of the area for her own safety as Jumah is a “known skollie” and has already spent time in Pollsmoor Prison for a different child rape case.
“We all fear for our lives because they knew her name and targeted her. We told the police, but they did not have her moved and we did that ourselves. She is still going for counselling, but she is scared,” says her mother.
Magistrate Goolam Bawa postponed Jumah’s case to 6 March as medical reports and DNA tests are still outstanding.
monique.duval@inl.co.za