Mpuma man released on bail

A Mpumalanga man accused of keeping two Mozambican children as sex slaves at his house was released on R2000 bail on Friday, a Sapa correspondent reported.

   

The 52-year-old man, who lives in KaMhlushwa township near Malalane but originally comes from Mozambique, was not asked to plead.

   

He faced two charges of rape when he appeared in the Nelspruit Regional Court.

   

"The court decided to give him R2000 bail after his fourth appearance," said Mpumalanga police spokesman Colonel Leonard Hlathi.

   

The man was arrested on June 25 after residents reported that a man was keeping two Mozambican girls, now aged 10 and 14, as sex slaves at his house.

   

"According to information that the police have, the two girls were left at the man's house by a relative. Some residents observed the relationship between the man and the girls and found it to be suspicious," said Hlathi.

   

The matter was postponed to September 6 for further police investigation. 

   

-Sapa