Satanist: Kids sexually abused

2003-01-28 17:53

Pretoria - Three young Pretoria children who claimed to have been subjected to sexual and Satanic rituals had physical injuries consistent with sexual abuse, a local doctor testified in the High Court on Tuesday.

Dr Hester Duvenage said the girl and her two brothers, aged between seven and 11, had injuries to their private parts consistent with the girl being raped and the two boys being penetrated.

The little girl told her an unknown man had grabbed her, put her in a black bag and took her to a place under a bridge where he raped her. The girl had a small tear in her hymen.

The two boys claimed they had been tied up and that unknown people had put fingers in their anuses on several occasions.

Tattoo artist Robin Malcolm Classen has denied guilt on charges that he abducted, raped and sexually molested the children over a period of months in 2000.

School social worker Retha Badenhorst said she had been asked by teachers in 1999 to talk to two of the children. The family had financial problems and teachers were worried about one boy because he was so withdrawn and shy.

According to Badenhorst, the girl had on two separate occasions - once in 1999 and once in 2000 - reported to her that she had been sexually molested.

On the first occasion, she referred to a certain "Uncle Henning", who had fondled her. On the second occasion she said a man had taken her to a small room and wanted to do "ugly things" with her. He had warned her not to tell her mother about it.

After the boy revealed sexual information during a play session with dolls, Badenhorst contacted the children's mother and asked her to talk to her children.

The trial was postponed to Friday for further evidence by state witnesses.

- SAPA