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An autopsy has revealed that a nine-year-old girl who was murdered in Rheenendal outside Knysna last weekend was also raped.
A 32-year-old man, who is believed a relative a the child, Roseline Philander, was arrested in Gousblom Street in Rheenendal on Saturday night after her family reported her missing earlier.
Her body was found with a severe wound to the neck.
He appeared in court on Tuesday, and was remanded in custody until his next court appearance in the Knysna Magistrates Court on November 11.
Police said Roseline and her friends had been playing together on Saturday morning when the man approached, and offered to walk her to a nearby shop.
He was later seen walking alone without the child.
Southern Cape police spokesman Captain Bernadine Steyn told Algoa FM on Wednesday that an autopsy on Monday confirmed the police's suspicions that the girl had been raped.
"The rape charge was then added and the man will be facing charges of murder and rape," she said.
