Publications
The substance found on the 20-year-old accused of raping a 7-year-old girl in the bathroom of a Dros restaurant in Pretoria has been identified as CAT.
A reliable source told News24 that a forensic analysis of the substance revealed that it tested positive for Methcatinone and that the charge sheet has been completed to reflect that the accused was in alleged possession of CAT.
Furthermore, police have also tracked down a man who socialised with the accused at a restaurant on the day of the alleged incident, and a statement was obtained from him.
Police spokesperson Colonel Lungelo Dlamini confirmed to News24 that police had taken all the relevant statements of witnesses present that day.
On Wednesday morning, the accused appeared in the dock of the Pretoria Magistrate's Court where his case was postponed to next year.
News24 reported that the accused, who wore a grey hoodie, could be seen sobbing and wiping tears from his eyes as he stood in the dock. His head was bowed down as he heard that a bed at Weskoppies Psychiatric Hospital was still not available.
Still waiting for a bed
State advocate Sanet Jacobson told the court on Wednesday that the accused was Number 14 on the waiting list for a bed. She asked that the case be postponed to January 15, 2019.
Read: Case against Dros rape accused postponed as bed still not available at Weskoppies.
"As soon as a bed becomes available, we will requisition the accused and he will then be referred," Jacobson added.
The court also heard that the accused would be referred to a district surgeon on Wednesday.
Magistrate Ignatius du Preez explained that, despite the postponement, if a bed became available before then, he would be referred.
Referred for mental observation
During a previous court appearance on November 1, the court granted an application by the State and defence to have the 20-year-old accused referred for mental observation.
The court also granted an application by the defence to appoint an additional psychiatrist and clinical psychologist, making up a team of four experts who will observe the accused while he is in Weskoppies, which is a state psychiatric institution.
Defence lawyer Riaan du Plessis told the court that there was a need to explore the mental state the accused had at the time of the incident.
He added that the accused had been diagnosed with bipolar disorder in 2013 and has been using drugs since he was 14 years old.
It was put on record that the accused previously underwent rehabilitation for substance abuse.
"He also tried to commit suicide because of the severe depression of having bipolar," said Du Plessis.
Read: Dros rape accused claims police, public assaulted him
News24 previously reported that the accused was at the restaurant where he allegedly followed the 7-year-old child to a bathroom and raped her.
*News24 has updated the article to reflect that the drug was identified as CAT, and not cocaine as previously reported. The court papers have also been updated to reflect the correct name of the drug.
A video, taken moments after the alleged incident, showed a man covered in blood and angry patrons berating him.
The accused has not yet brought an application for his release on bail, nor has he pleaded to the charges.
*News24 has taken a decision not to identify the accused until he has pleaded in court as stipulated in the Criminal Procedure Act.
According to Section 154(2b) of the Criminal Procedure Act: No person shall at any stage before the appearance of an accused in a court upon any charge referred to in Section 153(3) or at any stage after such appearance but before the accused has pleaded to the charge, publish in any manner whatever any information relating to the charge in question.
Section 153(3) refers to criminal proceedings related to sexual offences charges.
Once the accused has pleaded to the charges, News24 will reveal his identity in accordance with the law.
