Johannesburg - A victim, aged 21, wants justice after being raped twice allegedly by a detective.
This shocking incident happened while millions of South Africans observed Women’s Month.
The Independent Police Investigative Directorate (Ipid) in the Eastern Cape arrested a detective based at the Bhizana police station for allegedly raping a suspect in a fraud case he was busy investigating.
A 35-year-old constable attached to a detective branch at Bhizana police station in the Eastern Cape was arrested by Ipid investigators for allegedly raping the victim.
The suspect member is said to have called the victim to the police station regarding her fraud case.
‘’On arrival at the police station, she was left there for some time before being collected by the suspect and driven to a place that seemed like his parental home. He locked her there alone while he was said to have gone to the gym. Upon his return, he allegedly raped her twice before dropping her off at her rented place in the Bhizana area,’’ said Ipid national spokesperson Robbie Raburabu.
He said that after the case was reported, Ipid investigators investigated it and consulted with prosecutors, and the process culminated in the suspect being arrested yesterday.
He was detained in the Qhasa police cells.
The suspect is due to appear in the Bhizana Magistrate’s Court this morning for his first appearance.
Meanwhile, a 35-year-old police constable, Bongumusa Nxumalo, attached to the Heidelberg police station for visible policing in Gauteng, was arrested by Ipid Investigators on Sunday for allegedly raping a 31-year-old female victim.
Raburabu said the rape is alleged to have happened on August 12, 2023, at the victim’s place in Ratanda Extension 23 in Heidelberg.
‘’The suspect is alleged to have gone to the victim’s place, where he started drinking. They both drank, and later the suspect forced himself on the victim and raped her. They then both fell asleep, and the suspect slept over at her place. He raped her again when he woke up the following morning.’’
‘’The victim only managed to register the rape case six days after the incident as she was not sure that her case would receive any attention, given the fact that he was a police official himself. Therefore, he would be protected by fellow police officers,’’ said Raburabu.
After Ipid received a case docket, they investigated it, arrested the suspect on Sunday, and he appeared in court on Tuesday, August 29, 2023. The case was remanded to Friday, September 1, 2023, for a formal bail application.
The Star