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AfriForum is to privately prosecute a "respected businessman" for the alleged rape of his 3-year-old granddaughter, saying that the legal system failed the child.
The group announced that the head of its private prosecutions unit, advocate Gerrie Nel, will privately prosecute the man.
The organisation said on Thursday that the alleged rape and/or sexual assault happened in the child's grandparents' home.
"The grandfather (the accused) is a successful and respected businessman in the financial sector.
"The victim reported the rape and assault to her mother and father, and a psychologist confirmed the sexual offences in a psycho-legal assessment. The victim also identified her grandfather as the perpetrator to her teacher."
Nel said that when the applicant approached their offices, they were "astonished" that police failed to take a statement from independent witnesses, which include a teacher and a psychologist.
Nel also said the SA Police Service closed the docket after a month and that a detective had not taken steps to secure cellphone evidence.
"Despite the evidence that exists against the accused, the legal system failed the victim. It is now two years later, the victim has limited access to her mother and the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) decided not to prosecute.
"The accused has unfettered access to the victim and recently took her on holiday. The NPA took a decision without ensuring that proper investigations had been concluded. The prosecutors I know will prosecute if they consult with these two witnesses.
"If this matter [had] received the attention it deserves, prosecuting the accused would have been no problem whatsoever."
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