THE charges against one of the accused in the Brackenham rape and sexual assault case were withdrawn on Thursday under the instruction of the senior public prosecutor.
The accused, who was allegedly a witness to the incident in which a minor was raped and assaulted in Brackenham in 2011, appeared in the Empangeni Magistrate’s Court.
The accused was not allowed to go to the same school as the complainant according to the bail conditions and has since been out of school for the past three years.
The family, who prefer to remain anonymous, breathed a huge sigh of relief when the magistrate announced the withdrawal of the charges.
‘Thank you Jesus,’ exclaimed the mother.
She later told the Zululand Observer that she had always been sure of her son’s innocence.
‘We have been through so much despite my son’s innocence. This case has been continually postponed. We really have just been trusting that this nightmare comes to an end. It has been so difficult for my family,’ said the mother.
‘My son has lived a life of seclusion and has only just wanted to go back to school. He has been home for three years now as all other schools have been full and home schooling is so costly,’ explained the mother.
The accused told the Zululand Observer that he plans to go back to school next year and finish his studies and thereafter pursue a career in Information Technology (IT).
INCIDENT
In 2011 the victim, who was 13 at the time of the incident, was allegedly raped during a house party by a group of pupils bunking school.
Three minors were charged with two separate counts of rape, sexual assault and producing video footage of the incident.
The recording of the horrific assault shook the community of Brackenham, after it was widely distributed on the Internet.
