Cape Town - A madressa teacher will appear in the Wynberg Magistrate's Court on Monday after being arrested for allegedly sexually assaulting a 13-year-old girl.
The 44-year-old man, who works at the Halawat Ul Qur’an Haafith Academy in Ottery, was arrested by the Mitchells Plain Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences (FCS) Unit on Thursday at the school. He was taken to Grassy Park Police Station where he was charged for the alleged incident, which occurred during Ramadaan, in May.
The suspect spent the weekend in the jail after his lawyer failed to get him released on Thursday night.
According to the victim’s mother, who cannot be identified, the teen spilled the beans after a friend encouraged her.
“It happened during the fast, she was attending the haafith classes and I dropped her at the school one night,” the mother said.
“The children attended Taraweeh [evening prayers] and would have a meal there. According to my daughter, she was in the section where the girls pray. The prayer area is sectioned off where the girls are behind a partition.”
The mother said the teacher allegedly approached the girl and asked her why she did not greet him.
“So she greeted him by kissing him on the cheek, but he turned and kissed her with an open mouth and then grabbed her bum,” she alleged.
“She got a fright and ran out and told her friend. Her friend told her to tell me and warned her if she doesn’t, she [the friend] would tell me herself. They came to tell me together.”
The mother says she was further shocked to learn that it was not the first time the man had allegedly harassed her daughter and other girls.
“Then she told my father about other incidents and it took a while to report it because she became anxious.
“We then heard about other girls that may be victims as well and she agreed that we must go to the police.”
Police spokesperson, Sergeant Noloyiso Rwexana, confirms a 44-year-old man will appear in court today on sexual assault charges.