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	Rape Accused Not a Priest News 24 September 10, 2008 http://www.news24.com/News24/South_Africa/News/0,,2-7-1442_2391288,00.html Johannesburg - The man accused of raping two young boys at a mosque in Germiston was a caretaker there and not a cleric, police said on Wednesday. Captain Steady Nawa said the 49-year-old man lied to both his victims and the police claiming he was the maulana - Muslim cleric - at the mosque. However, the real maulana had since made a statement in which he said the man came to the mosque asking for accommodation three months ago and was allowed to stay and act as the caretaker of the property. The man appeared for the second time in the Germiston Regional Court on Wednesday. A control prosecutor at the court said the case had been postponed until October 4 for further investigation. The man remained in custody. Earlier this month, two boys, aged 10 and 12, reported to the police that they had been raped by the man at a Germiston mosque. Mixed dagga Nawa said the boys were attending a lecture on Islam on August 25 when the man, claiming to be a cleric, asked them to sleep over there. He watched movies with them and asked them to take a shower with him. "The boys also alleged that they saw the man mix something like dagga and smoked it. "He gave it to the 10-year-old to smoke, but the 12-year-old refused to smoke it, but he was forced to," said Nawa. After smoking, the man ordered the boys to undress then stripped naked. He allegedly ordered the 12-year-old to "play" with his genitals, then allegedly raped him in front of the 10-year-old. He ordered them to wash after allegedly raping both of them, said Nawa. On August 29, the man promised to give them R20 in exchange for their silence, but never did. Nawa said the boys informed a friend about the incident and were advised to tell their parents. Media coverage The man faces two counts of rape. He remains in custody in Boksburg Prison. On Wednesday the Jamiatul Ulama - Council of Muslim Theologians - said the alleged rape of the two boys, who were from Dukathole township, was cause for alarm. "In no way can an occurrence of this nature be condoned or viewed lightly. "It is a repulsive act which can never be tolerated regardless of who the perpetrator is or under what circumstances it may have taken place," said secretary-general Maulana Ebrahim Bham. He said communities needed to be more cautious with people who have access to children. Bham said initial media coverage of the story had been disturbing and sensationalised. He said the reference to the alleged perpetrator as a Muslim cleric and reports that the incident took place in the mosque were both inaccurate. Bham said the alleged incident had taken place in a courtyard on the property but not in the mosque.
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