Bail has been denied for a Northern Cape woman accused of sexually grooming young children.
The woman is accused of committing these crimes against children as young as eight-years-old.
According to the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), the 43-year-old woman lives in Vioolsdrift with her husband and would invite children between the ages of eight and 16 to her house.
“She told their parents that she was teaching Bible lessons and offering spiritual guidance form her home,” the NPA's Mojalefa Senokoatsane said.
“The woman would allegedly take the children to a shack in her yard where she would sexually assault them. She faces 18 charges of compelled rape, compelling sexual assault, sexual grooming of children, sexual exploitation of children, exposure of genitals organs to children, as well as rape.”
The parents were under the impression that their children were receiving Bible lessons.
Senokoatsane said some of the children reported the incidents to another teacher at a school.
“The teacher contacted a social worker and after consultations with the children, the police were informed. The woman claims to be a member of an established church,” Senokoatsane said.
The accused will be remanded in custody until her next court appearance on March 4, while investigations led by police are continuing.
IOL