A Solidarity charity volunteer accused of raping a 12-year-old boy has appeared in court.
|||A Solidarity charity volunteer accused of raping a 12-year-old boy appeared in the Strand Magistrate's Court in Cape Town on Tuesday, the National Prosecuting Authority said.
Christoffel Vermeulen, 61, was granted bail of R2000 with strict conditions, spokesman Eric Ntabazalila said.
He said Vermeulen would have to move from Strand to Mossel Bay for the duration of the case.
He was forbidden from making contact with workers at the union's charity Helping Hand, the Ruimte aftercare centre and Afrikaanse Christelike Vrouevereniging.
Vermeulen was also not allowed to have any contact with any child, except his own, or children's organisation.
He was arrested last Monday after the child's mother laid charges against him with the police. Solidarity suspended him.
The alleged offences took place outside Gordons Bay in a caravan donated by the charity to the boy's destitute family.
The boy and his 20-year-old brother moved from Johannesburg to the Western Cape about a month ago to stay with their mother, who was unemployed at the time. The trial continues on March 29. – Sapa