Harrowing details of how a young mother was allegedly abducted from outside her Gelvandale home, taken to a nearby bushy area and repeatedly raped by two assailants emerged in the Port Elizabeth High Court on Thursday.
The woman, 33, gave graphic details of her four-hour ordeal after allegedly being grabbed on the steps of her house on July 17 2017 while waiting for transport to work.
Donovan Heugh, 26, and a 17-year-old youth – who cannot be named as he is a minor – have pleaded not guilty to rape and pointing of an object which could lead someone to believe it is a firearm.
Heugh has also pleaded not guilty to charges of kidnapping and robbery with aggravating circumstances, while the youth has pleaded guilty to robbery.
During her emotionally charged testimony, the petite teacher broke down in tears several times and during the morning tea break could be heard crying loudly outside the courtroom while being comforted by her mother.
On Wednesday, the matter was postponed for a psychologist treating the 17-year-old to determine if he was fit to stand trial.
His advocate, Jodine Coertzen, submitted a letter from the psychologist confirming he was fit to stand trial.
The mother of two said she had been standing on the steps of her Bell Road home when a white VW Golf stopped in front or her.
Heugh allegedly got out, pointed a gun at her and grabbed her around the neck while the teen allegedly got out and grabbed her bag before she was told to get in the vehicle.
“I did not run away. I froze. I wanted to scream but nothing came out,” she said.
She was allegedly driven to the Gelvandale Sports Grounds where the driver of the Golf left the three and drove off.
The teen allegedly also wanted to leave but, according to the woman, Heugh would not let him go.
“I was begging them [not to hurt me] – the younger one said: ‘Let’s leave her, we already have what we wanted’.
“[Heugh] was getting angry. He said: ‘If you are not going to do what I want you to, then I will shoot both of you’.
“The younger guy was scared, I could see it in his face,” she said.
The woman said Heugh had then raped her and the teenager had stood watching.
“[Heugh] got angry because I was just lying there ... He got frustrated and got off of me.
“He told [the teenager]: ‘My bru, it’s your turn to climb on’,” she said, before breaking down in tears.
It is alleged that after the teenager raped the woman, Heugh raped her again and the teenager left.
Afterwards, Heugh allegedly told the woman to give him the beanie and earrings she was wearing. She complied, even giving him her watch.
She said her employer at the time had called on her cellphone.
Heugh had answered, claiming to be her boyfriend and telling the caller she would not be at work because she was in hospital. The phone was then switched off.
The two had then boarded a taxi and Heugh had got off in Kobus Road, Gelvandale.
The woman eventually got off at her house.
She relayed her ordeal to her mother, who in turn told her father, who took her to the Gelvandale police station.
She was then taken to the alleged crime scene and to Dora Nginza Hospital.
Later that evening, police arrived at her home with her bag that had been stolen and told her they had a suspect in custody she needed to identify. She identified Heugh.
Through his lawyer, Deon Erasmus, Heugh claimed he knew the woman and that he, along with the teenager, had found her walking in Zimdahl Street, Gelvandale.
He said she had willingly accompanied them to a house where Heugh’s mother and sister stayed.
She had stayed over and consented to sex with Heugh, while the teen was sent home.
The woman denied all this.
n his plea explanation, the teen said he was mildly mentally handicapped, but could differentiate between right and wrong.
He pleaded guilty to robbing the woman, claiming he had been approached by Heugh to accompany him when Heugh confronted the alleged victim and grabbed her by her arm.
The teen allegedly took the woman’s bag and searched it, finding her cellphone, R50 and a black tablet, which he took.
He eventually gave the phone to Heugh, along with the bag, but kept the tablet and money.
He further claimed the three of them had walked to the sports grounds, where he told Heugh not to harm the woman and said he wanted to leave.
He claimed he had left freely and was not threatened by Heugh. His claims were disputed by the woman.
Coertzen said her client had handed himself over to police on July 24 2017 after he heard they were looking for him.
The trial continues.