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Court frees Grasmere suspect
29/04/2004 09:57 - (SA)
Elise Tempelhoff, Beeld
Johannesburg - "The victims have never seen him before and that's why he was allowed to go free. In fact, the victims didn't recognise any of the accused at an identity parade."
These were the words of the attorney of Anthony Mathobela, 34, of Vosloorus, shortly after Mathobela was allowed to go free after appearing in the Vanderbijl Park regional court on charges of hijacking and raping a 46-year-old woman and her 14-year-old niece at the Grasmere toll plaza on March 30.
The woman, her 56-year-old husband and the girl were apparently ambushed at the toll gate at 05:00. Their Colt bakkie was hijacked and the two women raped.
Mathobela, the owner of a Vosloorus scrapyard, appeared in the regional court with Jacob Gasper, 30, of Lenasia south and Daniel Tekerra, 27, of Ennerdale.
Reports say Mathobela, Gasper and Tekerra were in an identity line-up on Monday, but the women and girl couldn't identity them.
The police arrested Mathobela a few days after the attack because they found parts of the family's Colt bakkie in his scrapyard.
The attorney, who preferred to remain anonymous, says "we explained to the police that Mathobela had nothing to do with the incident. He's ecstatic that he's a free man again. We are going to leave matters there."
Gasper and Tekerra wanted to apply for bail, but they didn't have enough money and the case was postponed to May 20.
Captain Maria Mazibuko says the police are still searching for three suspects.
- Beeld
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