Gasps in court as rape charges announced in Franziska case

THE three men appearing in court today (11/03/2016)  for the murder of Cape Town teenager Franziska Blöchliger will also face charges or rape‚ robbery and theft of a cellphone.

Court 6 at Wynberg Magistrate's Court was packed for the appearance of the men‚ aged between 22 and 27‚ and another man charged only with possession of stolen property.

The men's appearance was delayed by several matters involving juveniles‚ to the irritation of dozens of people from the communities of Westlake and Tokai who had been at the court from 8am.

When the rape charges were announced in court by the prosecutor‚ there was a gasp from the watching community members. A bigger gasp followed when the prosecutor said there were indications of anal rape‚ and an orderly asked spectators to be quiet.

The suspects cannot be named until they have pleaded to the rape charges and will remain in custody until their next court appearance on 18 March.

The father of one of them is a warder at Pollsmoor Prison‚ next to Tokai forest.

The prosecutor said Franziska‚ 16‚ from Muizenberg‚ was jogging in Tokai forest on Monday afternoon when she was killed. Her iPhone‚ watch‚ headset and diamond ring were among items stolen from her.

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