Cape Town - Eight men charged with the kidnapping of an 8-year-old girl in November last year have appeared in the Wynberg Magistrate’s Court.
Dressed in white T-shirts, the eight men appeared before Magistrate Goolam Bawa charged with their alleged involvement in kidnapping the 8-year-old girl and extorting her father.
The men, whose names and identities are to be withheld until investigations are concluded, have been slapped with a string of charges, including child pornography.
In January, two of the accused brought applications through their lawyers for the State to disclose all the information it had against them.
On Tuesday, Magistrate Bawa made a ruling, denying the defence access to the docket.
Charges against two of the accused were withdrawn after they were able to prove they were not at the scene at the time the crimes were committed.
The rest are charged under the Prevention of Organised Crime Act (Poca) for working together, robbery with aggravating circumstances, kidnapping, trafficking in persons, child pornography, attempted extortion and breach of the Cybercrimes Act.
State prosecutor Darren Rudolph said “a tip-off” led to a multi-disciplinary task team, including the Hawks, provincial police and crime intelligence swooping in to find the child on November 14 last year while she was being held at a residence in Joe Nzinga Gqabi Street, Town Two, Khayelitsha.
They will appear again on March 2 and 9 for a formal bail application at the Wynberg Magistrate’s court.