Durban — The high school teacher accused of raping pupils now has new legal representation.
The 55-year-old man, who cannot be named as he has not pleaded yet, had previously been represented by lawyer K Jairam, but he is now represented by advocate Andile Thusi.
It’s been more than a year since the man who had been a teacher at a high school in Clermont was arrested. He faces six counts of rape and his trial has yet to begin in the Pinetown Magistrate’s Court.
In the first count of rape, the teacher allegedly raped a 17-year-old on March 16.
It was further alleged that he raped her more than once. In the second count, he is alleged on that same day to have inserted his finger in her genital organ.
In count 3 it is alleged that on January 19 the accused raped another 17-year-old, where the State alleges that the victim was raped more than once as well.
And six days after this it is alleged that the accused inserted his finger into the genital organs of the same victim.
The accused is also charged with exposure of genital organs to a child. In 2021 he allegedly pulled down his pants, showing his privates to the 17-year-old victim at the school.
In February, in count 6, he is alleged to have inserted his finger into the genital organ of another 17-year-old victim and raped her more than once.
He is alleged to have repeated this in March with the same victim.
The accused also faces a charge of sexual grooming of children in relation to another 17-year-old victim.
The man who is out on R5 000 bail had been teaching at the school since 2008.
He was arrested on the premises in April last year. He was granted bail on condition that he relocate to his chosen address in Northern KZN.
On Monday, the accused appeared in court without his legal representative, the State indicated that the matter was on the court’s roll “for the accused’s attorney to be placed in funds”.
The accused told the court that he had paid a portion of Thusi’s funds.
The matter was adjourned to December for Thusi to be in court. It also emerged that the court was still waiting for a letter as proof for the accused having been indisposed previously and not being in court.
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