Case against mother, co-accused in minor 'drug' video postponed
The case against four suspects, including the mother of a four-year-old who was made to smoke an unknown substance, has been postponed to Thursday.
The woman and her three male co-accused were arrested after a video of the minor lighting and then smoking the substance out of a bottleneck went viral on social media.
READ: Mother, men who exposed child to drugs to remain behind bars
They appeared before the Johannesburg Magistrate's Court on Monday, where the matter was postponed for bail information.
The National Prosecuting Authority's Phindi Mjonondwane again stressed the sensitivity of the case, as it involves a minor.
"We're still at the early stages of the case, and there is not much information to share. You'd also appreciate that the victim in this case is a minor, so whatever information that is obtained is not for public consumption to protect the dignity of the child, and to protect the integrity of the investigation."
Meanwhile, the NPA has condemned the livestreaming of court proceedings at the suspects' first court appearance.
"A Facebook account unlawfully streamed the proceedings live and revealed the faces of the accused in direct violation of a court order explicitly prohibiting such exposure. It is important to note that the victim in this matter is a minor, whose identity and rights are protected under the Child Justice Act," Mjonondwane said in a statement.
She reiterated the state's call for social media users not to distribute the video, as it violates the minor child's rights.
"Sharing or distributing any content that could expose the child’s identity not only violates the law but also endangers the child’s safety and dignity. The NPA strongly condemns this conduct and calls on the account holder to remove the video immediately."
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