Survivors urge Ministry of Justice to expedite extradition process

Gender-based violence organisations are preparing to write to the Ministry of Justice and Constitutional Development, and the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), calling for no more delays in the trial against 85-year-old former SA teacher, Iain Wares, who is wanted by UK authorities on 74 counts of the sexual assault of young boys.

This comes after arguments were presented last week in the Wynberg Magistrate's Court during the Section 174 application, in which Wares’ legal team earlier called for the charges against him to be dismissed.

Judgment in the application has since been reserved to August 7.

Women and Men Against Child Abuse (WMACA) said they were also calling on the Ministry of Justice and Constitutional Development to finalise the long-overdue fourth extradition warrant submitted by the British High Commission in October 2024.

“After years of waiting, survivors hoped for progress today. Instead, they are left in limbo once again,” said Miranda Jordan, founding director of WMACA.

“The arguments are in. The evidence has been led. But justice continues to stall."

Wares is also appealing his extradition.

The local case involves a victim dubbed “Stephen”, who took the witness stand last year where he told of the indecent assault Wares allegedly inflicted on him.

The 47-year-old SA victim broke the silence claiming he was abused by Wares who was his teacher at Rondebosch Boys Preparatory during 1988.

Wares is facing one count of indecent assault, which allegedly took place in Rondebosch in 1988 and is accused of indecently assaulting a male victim between the age of 12 and 13 years old, by touching his buttocks and penis and rubbing his penis up against the victim.

The victim’s wife earlier took the stand as the State closed its case, in which she revealed how her husband broke his silence after seeing Wares on television.

Wares initially made a written affidavit of admissions to having inappropriate urges to touch boys and to sexually abusing them but it was retracted with the claim that he had been ill-advised.

The extradition involves allegation of former students of Wares in the UK who are all now beyond the age of 60 and that the incidents of apparent sexual and physical abuse took place between the 1960s and 1970s at schools such as Edinburgh Academy and Fettes College.

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