Tourist rape trial moved
2002-11-26 11:16
Barberton - The case against two of the four men accused of raping a British tourist and murdering a Mozambican was postponed in the Barberton magistrate's court in Mpumalanga on Tuesday.
State prosecutor Elize Van Rooyen told the court the bail application of Sipho Mbokane and Zimbabwean Michael Dube would be heard in the Nelspruit regional court on December 2.
Eric Msibi and Willie Mgweneya were still in hospital after being shot by police during their arrests.
Their case was postponed in abstensia to December 10 in the Barberton magistrate's court. Once they have appeared in court, their case will also be transferred to the Nelspruit regional court.
The four are, at this stage, facing charges of abduction, rape, armed robbery and murder.
The 29-year-old Briton, Julie Stevens, was abducted along with a South African friend Tinus Opperman, and raped during a 14 hour ordeal on November 17 in the province. Mozambican Domingo Chambal was murdered when he came to the aid of the couple.
Stevens said in an interview with London's The Mail on Sunday she wanted to have her identity disclosed because she was so outraged at the depravity of the kidnap that she felt it was a way of hitting back.
- SAPA