Charges against Strand CPF chairperson for sexual offences; victim's chilling words: 'If I get raped...'

Shocking details emerged during a bail application hearing at the Strand Magistrate’s Court involving Niklaas Thysen, the chairperson of the Strand Community Police Forum (CPF) and a former police officer, who faces multiple sexual offence charges related to a 15-year-old girl.

Thysen is charged with exposure or display of genital organs to a minor, two counts of compelled self-sexual assault for instructing the victim to massage him to achieve arousal, two counts of crimes injuria for asking the minor to undress, and sexual assault, including the massaging of her breasts.

The 56-year-old came to know the minor when her mother, concerned about her daughter’s drug use, sought counseling assistance from the accused, seeing him as a trusted community leader and volunteer counselor.

The victim’s mother recounted her initial interactions with the accused and her daughter’s troubling behaviour: “My mother knew him because he is the community leader. My daughter at the time was smoking dagga, and I asked for help.”

She said the accused “came to fetch her on July 3 and when she came home, she said nothing, but the following day, she tried to commit suicide”.

The mother further described reluctance to see Thysen from her daughter: “She didn’t want to talk to me about the attempted suicide and I called the accused, and she warned me not to call him, she didn’t want him to come, but I thought it was because she didn’t want to go back for counselling again.”

She added that the accused had asked if her daughter could spend the night at his house, but her husband refused “because he doesn’t have a wife and lives alone”.

It was only after a second troubling incident on July 26 that the abuse was disclosed.

The mother said the victim resisted going with the accused again, telling her she had tried to kiss her previously. “I was in denial because I know him, as a community activist,” the victim’s mother explained.

The daughter reportedly said to her mom: “If I get raped, it’s because mommy keeps sending me with him.”

Following these revelations, the mother halted all contact and reported the matter to the police on July 30, the day she found out.

The accused was subsequently arrested on August 6 and has been held in custody since then.

During the bail application proceedings, the accused, represented by a private attorney, denied all allegations and pleaded not guilty.

However, the investigating officer presented a markedly different narrative to the court.

He testified: “On Thursday, July 3, the victim went with the accused and her mother to a homeless shelter for counselling. The accused dropped the mother off at her place, and then they went to the accused’s workplace.

“Upon arrival, he told the victim he was waiting for two clients. He took out massage oil and told her to undress herself because he was going to give her a treatment.”

The detective detailed that the victim only removed her top, and the accused massaged the victim’s back, neck, and shoulders.

He said the accused touched the victim’s breasts during a subsequent massage and continued “to convince her that it was normal for a lady to receive such treatment”.

Before leaving, the accused bought the girls KFC and dropped them home.

The victim’s mother expressed her anguish and disbelief: “She attempted suicide on July 4. I was unaware of the sexual abuse until July 30. She eventually told me what had happened, and I went to the police immediately.”

The proceedings are set to continue  on Friday for a further bail application and judgment.

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