Shock as rape case against DJ Fresh & DJ Euphonik dropped without the woman who opened it knowing
Despite being the one who initially lodged the case, the woman who recently pressed charges against DJs Fresh (Thato Sikwane) and Euphonik (Themba Nkosi) was not formally informed of the outcome of her case.
However, the accused were offered this courtesy.
This is according to the non-profit organization Women Inspired Solutions for Empowerment (Wise).
The organization issued a public statement lambasting publication a local publication for publishing the contents of a witness statement provided by the accuser upon opening her case. The said statement was in the form of a letter addressed to the national and Gauteng police commissioners.
The letter was published after the DJs publicly announced the outcome of the case, declaring that the charges against them had been dismissed.
This was following a media report detailing the victim’s side of events based on a statement she had provided to police.
“The contents of the article were sourced from a case opened by the victim of the s.e.xual assault when she reported the assault that occurred in 2011 at Sunnyside police station…
“The information used in the SW article comprised of her statement given to a member of the South African Police Services [Saps] without the victim’s consent and or knowledge,” wrote Wise.
Wise has labelled this conduct detrimental to the safety of victims of gender-based violence and added that it was an infringement on the accuser’s rights to privacy, confidentiality, and protection under the law.
As such, the organization has demanded an investigation into the apparent negligent and unethical conduct of members of the Saps since the witness statement was allegedly leaked to a journalist. They have also demanded an investigation into the manner in which the local publication journalist who worked on the story obtained said witness statement.
Another matter they wish to see investigated is the fact that the victim was not informed of the decision of the chief prosecutor but the men she accused were informed before she was.
A recent report by a local publication alleges that the accuser was notified via WhatsApp text at the end of the day that her case would not be going forward.
“Hi sorry for so late… the docket came back for court today. The court is not going to process with the case,” read a message from the investigating officer.
Wise would additionally like an inquest into the nature of the investigation into this case and how evidence was collected.
The organization has resolved to report the publication to the Press Ombudsman and have declared their intention to launch the necessary court applications if no resolutions are reached.
-The Citizen
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