Police spokesman Sam Tselanyane said the elderly man appeared on Monday, and the case against him was postponed to February 25 for a bail application.

He was arrested on February 15 in the Geluk farming area, outside Brits, after he was allegedly found with the half-naked girl under a tree.

"It is alleged that the suspect went to the nearby shop accompanied by the victim who is the grandchild of his girlfriend on Saturday, 15 February 2020,"  Tselanyane said. 

"The mother of the child went looking for them as she felt that they are taking too long to return home.  She saw that they were on their way home and close by, she then went back inside the house.

"In a dramatic turn of events, it is alleged that while inside the house, she decided to go and check on them again as they were taking longer than expected to enter the house.  It is further alleged that both the suspect and the child were nowhere to be found.  She allegedly searched and found both of them under a tree in the bushes, with the child allegedly half-naked."

The mother then screamed for community members to come to help her. The police were alerted and arrested the man.

African News Agency (ANA)