An elderly man who was previously set free on child rape charges because the alleged victims refused to testify has been arrested again for a similar crime.
Gordon Lewis, 61, was nabbed last week after two sisters revealed that he had allegedly been molesting them for weeks in his backyard hokkie.
He appeared in the Wynberg Magistrates’ Court on Friday where he was released on R500 bail.
However, he remains in custody as he could not pay the bail money.
The NPA’s Eric Ntabazalila confirmed: “Gordon Lewis appeared on Friday for sexual assault of an eight and a 12-year-old.
“The matter was postponed until 7 September for further investigation.”
Lewis had been living in Athlone for the past 18 months after charges in a previous case were provisionally withdrawn.
In September 2018, Lewis was arrested and faced 16 charges relating to the rape and sexual assault of six meisies aged eight to 14 years old.
Lewis, who is divorced and has no children of his own, worked for the Milnerton Refinery and used to work in Dubai on oil rigs before returning to South Africa.
It was alleged that Lewis gained the trust of vulnerable children in Manenberg while dating a woman in the community.
He would allegedly invite them to his home in Dieman Road, Grassy Park for the weekend or school holidays, where he allegedly raped them and gave them gifts.
The case was provisionally withdrawn in 2019 when the six alleged victims refused to take the stand out of fear.
Lewis is expected back in the dock in November for these charges while the six girls undergo counselling.
But he was nabbed again on Thursday after Athlone resident Lateefah Mohamed helped the family of the sisters open a case.
The girls are living with their dad at the rented premises where Lewis also rents the backyard Wendy house.
According to Lateefah, the suspect used money to lure the children to his hokkie where he allegedly raped them.
“The girls do not want to speak about it yet but they did say he would call them into his room, lay them on the bed and start touching them inappropriately,” she explains.
“The young girl couldn’t take it and the dad told me she was crying all night, saying her private part was sore.
“We looked and it was red and swollen.”
Resident Nushfieka Cupido says they drew up a petition to keep Lewis in the mang after learning about his previous case and that he was banned from his previous residences in Mitchells Plain, Bonteheuwel, Grassy Park and Manenberg.