SA's own Josef Fritzl

2009-07-05 10:03

Henry Cloete

Rapport

Cape Town - A teenager who came all the way from Germany to meet her biological father for the first time, was allegedly kept as a sex slave by him in his home in Muizenberg.

Her shocked mother said Sandra, 18, (not her real name) was really looking forward to meeting her father, Heinz, 53, (not his real name) for the first time after tracking him down over the internet.

But the reunion soon turned into a nightmare and Heinz is now facing charges of incest (which include charges of rape) and assault with the intention of causing grievous bodily harm.

Sandra is currently in a place of safety with her brother, who flew in from Germany to be with her. Her story bears terrible similarities to the case of the Austrian Josef Fritzl, who kept his daughter imprisoned in a cellar for 24 years and had seven children by her.

Too scared to escape

Heinz refused to comment on the story and his lawyer didn’t want to talk about the case.

Sandra’s ordeal of about two months came out when she and Heinz visited friends and spent the night. She wrote the couple a letter asking for help and they protected her against her father, who became violent and threatening when told that he wouldn’t be allowed near her again.

Heinz’s real name is being withheld for legal reasons.

Sandra has told of being forced to have sex with her father “up to three times a night”, intimidation and assault. When she refused to take off her clothes, he fetched a knife, threatened her with it and cut the clothes from her body.

She said she was too scared of her father to try and escape. She also didn’t know the city or anyone living there.

Police captain Stephen Knapp confirmed that Heinz would appear in court on August 7 for the third time. He is currently out on bail.