Durban — The 55-year-old Clermont teacher facing six counts of rape in relation to pupils now wants to relocate back to Durban.
He had been granted R5 000 bail in May last year with condition that he relocates to his chosen alternative address in northern KwaZulu-Natal.
On Wednesday in the Pinetown Magistrate’s Court the man’s counsel, K Jairam, said his client wanted to relocate closer, adding that his chosen address would not be in the jurisdiction of the Pinetown court and obviously not in Clermont.
“He will be looking at premises close by,” said Jairam to Magistrate Siphiwe Hlophe.
The State said that once the address was provided to it, the investigating officer would check if it was suitable.
The man, who had been employed at the high school since 2008, was arrested on the premises last year and is alleged to have committed the alleged rapes there.
In the first count of rape the teacher allegedly inserted his genital organ into his 17- year-old victim’s genital organ 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 inserted his genital organ into another 17-year-old’s genital organ, where the State alleges that the victim was raped more than once.
And six days after this it is alleged that the accused inserted his finger into the genital organ of the same victim.
The accused is also charged with exposure of genital organs to a child where it is alleged that in 2021 the accused allegedly pulled down his pants showing his privates to the 17-year-old victim at the school.
In February he is alleged to have inserted his finger into the genital organ of another 17-year-old victim and where it is alleged that the victim was also raped more than once. This is count 6.
He is alleged to have repeated this again in March to the same victim.
The accused also faces a charge of sexual grooming of children. This was in relation to another 17- year-old victim.
On the last occasion when the man was in court Jairam told the court that after consultation with his client, his intention was to make representation in the matter, but prior to this he would make an application for further particulars from the State.
In court on Wednesday, the State, which received the request for these further particulars last Wednesday, said it would need about two weeks to supply the defence with these.
Detailing what the requested further particulars were, the State said that the defence sought “clarity” on some specified aspects.
Before Hlophe adjourned the matter to later this month, he warned the man.
“Your bail conditions still stand until they are amended,” he said.
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