Former City of Cape Town sub-council manager Raphael Martin.
Image: Independent Newspapers
The rape trial of a former Mitchell's Plain sub-council manager accused of raping a 13-year-old girl has been delayed yet again.
But this time, it was revealed he has run out of money for his lawyer.
Raphael Martin returned to the Mitchell's Plain Regional Court on Tuesday where the victim was set to take the stand and continue her testimony.
However, proceedings were hamstrung when his lawyer withdrew.
Martin was busted nearly five years ago when the brave girl from Strandfontein broke her silence on the sex attacks.
At the time she was just 13 years old and told her parents that she had been raped multiple times over a three-year period by Martin who was a family friend.
The case sparked widespread outrage when it was revealed that Martin was also allegedly found in possession of child porn as the City of Cape Town also investigated his conduct.
Martin was sent to prison where officials served a notice on him for a disciplinary hearing.
He was later released on R1 000 bail and fired by the municipality.
Last year, his legal team lodged a review calling for the magistrate presiding over the rape trial to be removed and the main trial was stalled.
While the outcome of the review is still unknown, the victim was subpoenaed to appear in court yesterday to continue her testimony.
Her 49-year-old mother said: "There was no court for so many months. We came back for her to finish her testimony and to undergo cross examination. But even before they started his lawyer told the court that he is withdrawing as there is no money to pay him. The magistrate postponed the case to April 25 for him to tell the court if he will appoint another private lawyer or if he will take a Legal Aid lawyer. It has been almost five years, my daughter has already matriculated and dealt with this for so many years. She wants to get this over with and move on with her life now."
Cape Argus
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