The four young men accused of gang-raping an 18-year-old boy and shoving a bottle in his anus have been set free after the charges were provisionally withdrawn against them.
Joshua Booysen, Rameez Martin, Ashley Titus and Yasien Sedick made an appearance at the Mitchells Plain Magistrate's Court on Tuesday, where they were facing charges of rape, kidnapping and assault with intent to cause grievous bodily harm.
But the State said they could not proceed as the victim did not attend two consultation meetings.
DNA evidence is also still outstanding and the results are yet to be received.
The State was set to prove that the group had snatched the teen while he walked home and took him to one of their houses, where they gang-raped and tortured him in Lentegeur,
Mitchells Plain.
LET GO: Joshua Booysen rape charges ‘dropped’
Medical reports showed that the boy’s anus was badly torn, his toes were burnt and he had stab wounds.
The group was arrested in June last year and the matter was set for trial later this year.
The victim’s family says they are shocked at the group’s release.
“We were told they were to appear (Wednesday), but they appeared (Tuesday) and then people said they were walking in the streets and were bragging that they were free,” says
a relative.
CO-ACCUSED: Rameez Martin
“We are very upset and we will not be leaving it like this.”
Last year during the bail application, the detective called for the suspects to remain behind bars for fear that the community would attack them.