A Durbanville man accused of raping a four-month-old baby is expected to go on trial in the Parow Regional Court in three months.
|||Cape Town - A Durbanville man accused of raping a four-month-old baby is expected to go on trial in the Parow Regional Court in three months.
Gabriel Louw, 54, made his second appearance in the regional court on Tuesday after his case was transferred from the Bellville Magistrate’s Court. He has been in custody since October 20.
It is the State’s case that the baby’s mother left her in Louw’s care on the night of October 19 while she went out.
The baby was asleep when she was dropped off, but a short while later a traffic officer who lives in the same complex heard the constant crying of a baby.
He went to investigate and knocked on the door for about 10 minutes. When Louw eventually opened the door, he allegedly said he had been sleeping.
The baby was inside, wrapped in a blanket.
Later, when the baby’s mother returned and changed her daughter’s nappy, she discovered that the baby was bleeding.
She was checked medically and found to have been raped.
According to the charge sheet, Louw allegedly penetrated the baby’s private parts “with an unknown object”. There has been no evidence as to her injuries.
Louw has not yet been asked to plead.
After his arrest, Louw unsuccessfully applied for bail in the Bellville Magistrate’s Court.
His lawyer, Nolan Martin, withdrew from the case and a Legal Aid lawyer was appointed.
Louw is due back in court on June 4.
jade.otto@inl.co.za
Cape Argus