A GERMAN teenager who was raped while on holiday with her family in Addo, in the Eastern Cape last year, said she couldn't sleep at night and felt terrified whenever she was left at home alone.
The girl, now 16, was giving evidence on Tuesday from her home town of Wiesbaden, Germany, to the Eastern Cape High Court, in Grahamstown, by means of video-conferencing technology.
A GERMAN teenager who was raped while on holiday with her family in Addo, in the Eastern Cape last year, said she couldn't sleep at night and felt terrified whenever she was left at home alone.
The girl, now 16, was giving evidence on Tuesday from her home town of Wiesbaden, Germany, to the Eastern Cape High Court, in Grahamstown, by means of video-conferencing technology.
Her testimony was heard in the Barrat seminar room at Rhodes University, beamed via closed-circuit television to a strictly select audience that included two journalists, high court officials, police officers and investigators. No one else was allowed in because of the nature of the case.
Although Rhodes University had declined to comment, Grocott's Mail reported in our Friday 25 February edition that it had been rumoured the university would step in, as it had the necessary facilities.
The proceedings began with state prosecutor, Johann Bezuidenhout, putting the teenager at ease, speaking to her in German for a few minutes.
The teenager's father was there to support her and could be seen in the background, refilling her glass of water, or providing her with relevant information, such as the exact dates and times of events. A retired German teacher from Port Elizabeth translated the questions and the girl's replies.
She responded confidently to questions about her ordeal on the morning of July 24, last year.
The accused, 20-year-old Thanduxolo Jason January, never once looked at the television screen while the girl gave her testimony.
Even through his lawyer, the accused said hardly anything other than nodding a yes or no to questions. The cameras were set up in such a way that the girl would not have to see her alleged attacker. She could see everyone in the room, except January.
The teenager recalled that she and her 14-year-old cousin had decided to leave the bathroom window of the chalet in which they were sleeping at an Addo B&B partly open, so that they could get "fresh-air".
Their families were sleeping in nearby chalets. One of her two attackers had entered through that window and opened the chalet door from the inside to let his accomplice in.
The girl told the court that one of the men had a "knife-like" object. When the prosecutor asked her if she had screamed when she saw the two attackers, she said she had thought about it but restrained herself for fear of what the attackers might do to her and her cousin.
She told the court that they asked her to undress. At first, she had refused, despite being so scared of them. It was during this time that the other accused – "'the short one", the girl said – held her cousin at knife-point, while the other attacker raped her. She described the experience as 'very painful and scary'.
After the first attacker had finished raping her, she said the other proceeded to rape her again, while the first took a turn at holding her cousin at knife-point. After the second man had raped her, she said the first attacker returned and demanded oral sex.
When asked whether she was on any medication, the teenager said she had been on anti-retrovirals for about a month, before stopping because of the side effects.
She had also been for several HIV/aids tests, all of which had been negative.
When the prosecutor asked her if the incident had changed her life she said that at first she hadn't been able to sleep at night and that sometimes she felt terrified if left alone at home.
When asked if she and her family had changed their view of South Africa because of the incident, she said they had to a certain extent, but that they still loved the country and would consider coming back at some stage.
January pleaded not guilty to all four charges, namely, housebreaking with intent to commit robbery and rape, robbery with aggravating circumstances, rape and theft.
His accomplice, who cannot be named because he is a minor, entered into a plea bargain with the state and will serve a 16-year sentence.
After the teenager's evidence was heard at Rhodes University, the trial returned to the Grahamstown High Court in High Street.
January is being defended by Chris Schuring. Judge Jeremy Pickering is presiding and his two assessors are Braam Maqabi and Ian Sholto-Douglas. The trial is continuing at the Eastern Cape High Court, in Grahamstown.
