Students from the University of Pretoria packed a Pretoria Magistrate’s Court courtroom on Monday morning to attend the appearance on rape charges of four hostel mates.
Most of them were wearing Maroela residence jackets. The alleged crime took place at the men’s hostel.
One former and three current University of Pretoria students were arrested on Thursday in connection with the alleged gang rape of an 18-year-old matric pupil.
Two of the students, Frederik and Dawie Botha, are related to a senior apartheid-era Cabinet minister — identified as former minister of foreign affairs Pik Botha by Rapport on Sunday.
One of the four dropped out of university last year and was arrested at a Hatfield bar, a second was taken in at his hostel room on the campus and a third handed himself over to the Brooklyn police.
The fourth student, who is alleged to have taken pictures while the schoolgirl was raped by the three, handed himself over in the presence of his lawyer.
Family members of Botha were also in the court on Monday morning.
According to Department of Justice sources three of the students passed polygraph tests taken during the weekend. It is believed that the four will only make a brief appearance after which the matter is likely to be postponed until next week for a bail application.
A report in The Star on Monday quoted defence advocate Deon Cloete, appearing for Botha’s grandsons, as saying that his team’s investigations had highlighted a number of contradictions in the victim’s complaint. He said the accused maintain that one of them had consensual sex with the girl and another had oral sex with her.
Police said last week the woman was given a lift by three men in Hatfield at about 4am last Friday. She said she had accompanied her brother to a nightclub, but he left her behind and promised to fetch her later.
When her brother did not return the girl got a lift offer from the students, but instead of taking her home, the three allegedly took her to the Maroela hostel and took turns raping her.
According to university spokesperson Edwin Smith the victim alleged that several hostel residents looked on.
The matter was reported to police on Wednesday evening.
The students allegedly spiked her drink. — Sapa