A man who spiked treats with tranquilliser and provided them to youngsters at a summer camp in the region has confessed to sexual offenses against two children who were nine and ten years old.
The defendant was taken into custody after eight youngsters and an older person fell ill at the location in the summer month.
The 76-year-old, from that region, confessed to a total of 17 charges when he was present at the judicial center on recently.
However, he disputed one of the sexual offences he was facing, which was concerning a nine-year-old child.
The defendant was held in detention ahead of a further hearing on 28 November.
'Treat game'
The prosecutor, presenting evidence, outlined the defendant's actions to the legal proceedings.
She stated his targets were children from difficult backgrounds who were attending a summer program which he operated.
The man played a "candy game" with the children, the prosecutor explained, in which he would go into the children's bedrooms when they were settling down and ask them to consume candy "as quickly as they can".
She told the court the defendant had played this game with the young males "repeatedly", and minors had previously fallen ill the next day.
She explained Ruben had been successful in rationalizing this for many years as the children being "overstimulated by activities", until his stepson had worries in summer 2025.
The prosecutor continued: "In the summer" his stepchild had worries about what was going on, justifiably.
"They decided to examine in the individual's items."
Mrs Prior KC said items including baby oil, petroleum jelly and injection devices were discovered, and his stepchild notified the law enforcement about his suspicions.
She explained the defendant went on to engage in the "sweet game" with six youngsters that evening - Saturday 26 July - and they were all ill the subsequent day.
"Law enforcement" had not responded by that point," she stated further.
The regulatory agency, the police conduct office, earlier informed that it was examining law enforcement's management of the incident.
Mrs Prior stated the children were unable to walk properly due to their condition, so the family member notified the police again.
She stated the defendant then engaged in the "sweet game" in a room of five youngsters.
