The sentencing of the three men found guilty for the gang rape of a gay man in South Africa has been delayed yet again.
Content warning: This story may include topics that could make some readers feel uncomfortable.
Sentencing was supposed to take place on 7 February, though the trio will instead have their hearing on 1 March.
This was originally pushed back from 3 December 2021, Netwerk 24 reported.
Austin Fritz, Rodney Beukes and Peter John Adams kidnapped and raped a gay man in the Ceres region of the Western Cape in August 2017, the Worcester Regional court heard.
The victim was attacked by the trio, one of which was a minor at the time, once before – though this was not reported when it happened.
The historic guilty verdict, which was given on 26 October 2021, was the first of its kind in a gay male rape case in South Africa.
Speaking to Eyewitness News, Sharon Cox of the Triangle Project said: “A young gay man, gang-raped by three straight men, and all three have been found guilty of kidnapping and rape, which is a great win for us.
“We’ve had these cases before and we’ve never had success with them. This is the first time that we have a guilty verdict in a gay male rape.”
Nicolette Bell, the Acting Director of Public Prosecutions in the Western Cape, praised the conviction and expressed her hope that other victims will get justice.
“The fight against these types of crimes requires us all to put our shoulders to the wheel and ensure we push together in the same direction so we can achieve our desired goals of reducing this curse,” she said at the time.
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