The trial of the four women who allegedly sold a 12-year-old girl for sex to foreign nationals in 2016 in Whittlesea has been delayed after the Bangladesh interpreter Azan Khan failed to appear in court.
The women and a Bangladesh national who had allegedly slept with the minor appeared in court on Tuesday.
The trial was supposed to start on Monday but due to the absence of the victim it was rolled over to Tuesday.
Komani magistrate’s court principal Sandile Gubula testifying at 11am said he had booked Khan for three days starting from Monday up to Wednesday for the trial.
“Yesterday he did not come to my office and today when I called him he said he was in Cacadu. An hour later he said he is in a village between Ngcobo and Mthatha and asked us to stand down the trial up until 2pm,” he said.
The case was adjourned until 2pm.Khula children’s rights organisation’s Petros Majola said they will be attending the court throughout the trial to show their support for the 12-year-old.
“We are not going to be moved or panic, we will show our support for the victim until this matter is finalised,” he said...