THE case of four men accused of raping a Gwent tourist they kidnapped and the murder of a Mozambican man who went to her aid, was postponed for a month by a South African magistrate.
A court official in Nelspruit said the matter had been postponed for further investigations. The case is expected to be referred to a high court for trial at a later stage.
Sipho Mbokane, Michael Dube, Eric Msibi and Willy Ngwenya are to remain in custody until their next court appearance on April 17.
They face charges of murder, rape, abduction and armed robbery. The men allegedly abducted tourist Julie Stevens, (pictured) from Newport, and her South African friend, Thinus Opperman, at a beauty spot on the scenic Long Tom Pass in Mpumalanga in November last year.
They then allegedly drove the pair around for 14 hours and Ms Stevens was raped at least twice.
The couple's ordeal came to an end when the men overturned the car early the next morning.
Mozambican Domingo Chambal came under fire from the hijackers when he tried to render assistance to those in the overturned car. He was killed. Ms Stevens and Opperman managed to escape.
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