Durban Soccer Coach In Court For Raping Three Boys From The Same Family

On Monday, a soccer coach accused of raping three young boys, aged between 11 and 15, from one family decided not to pursue bail.

The 37-year-old KwaZulu-Natal man who cannot be identified until after his plea because he is accused of rape made an appearance in the Ntuzuma Magistrate’s Court.

The man is charged with seven charges of rape, according to the National Prosecuting Authority in KZN.

“The man, a soccer coach, is alleged to have raped the minor children from November 2022 to May 2023,” spokesperson Natasha Kara said.

“In court, he abandoned his application for bail and the matter was adjourned to 26 June 2023 for further investigations.”

It’s understood that the accused is an amateur soccer coach operating in the Ntuzuma township, north of Durban.

National Prosecuting Authority spokesperson, Natasha Kara, said the man is accused of raping the boys from November 2022 to March 2023.

KZN police spokesperson; Colonel Robert Netshiunda revealed that the accused had further s*xual assault charges against him, however, he did not say how many.

The NPA stated that more information may become available at his upcoming court appearance on Friday and that the overall number of victims had not yet been finalized.

A 25-year-old man who appeared to be a soccer coach was detained in another instance that occurred in KZN for allegedly raping youngsters as young as 12.

According to The Daily News, the man and his 32-year-old co-accused were charged with rape, sxual assault, inciting or procuring the commission of another person’s sxual offense, child abuse, and compelling or procuring the attendance of minors at a s*xual offense.

The victim allegedly said that throughout the month of December 2019, he was recruited by a person who identified themselves as a soccer coach, according to police spokesperson Colonel Thembeka Mbele.

“He promised him that he will play for one of the Premier Soccer League junior teams. The coach went to the young boy’s home where he produced forms for the family to fill in,” Mbele said at the time.

“The forms stated that their son was going to join a soccer academy. The family gave consent as they thought their young son was going to realize his dream of playing soccer in a professional environment.”