Afrotainment dancer accused of child rape released on R5,000 bail

17 August 2018 - 14:35 By Lwandile Bhengu
subscribe Just R20 for the first month. Support independent journalism by subscribing to our digital news package.
Subscribe now
The popular dancer will return to court in October.
The popular dancer will return to court in October.
Image: 123RF/Stockstudio44

An Afrotainment qgom dancer - who is alleged to have raped a 14-year-old girl - has been granted bail. The 31-year-old appeared before the Durban Magistrate’s Court on Friday, where Magistrate Bonisile Ngcobo delivered her verdict.

The man, who cannot be named because he is facing rape allegations, had appeared before the court on Thursday, where the state had argued that he would be a flight risk if granted bail.

The state had also argued that the man could potentially interfere with the victim or with witnesses.

The suspect’s legal representative, however, countered by saying that the man would not evade trail nor interfere in any way.

Ngcobo agreed with the defence lawyer, saying: "There is no evidence that, if released, the (bail) applicant will be a flight risk or that he will undermine the criminal justice system by interfering with witnesses and disturbing the peace.”

The 31-year-old dancer is employed by DJ Tira's record label, Afrotainment. The dancer has appeared in a music video with Durban-based gqom act Distruction Boyz but is not part of the duo.

The public gallery in the Magistrate’s Court was packed with the man's Afrotainment colleagues who had come to support him. He was released on R5,000 bail on condition that he returned to court on October 5.

subscribe Just R20 for the first month. Support independent journalism by subscribing to our digital news package.
Subscribe now