THE DA has called for a metro police employee accused of rape “to do the honourable thing” and step down.
The 55-year-old major of the metro police’s loss control unit at the head office in Kempton Park remains in the employ of the EMPD, despite having criminal charges of rape against him, Michele Clarke, MPL, DA Gauteng spokesperson on community safety, said in a statement issued on July 7.
According to the Independent Police Investigation Directorate (IPID) acting national spokesperson, Robbie Raburabu, the accused is currently out on R20 000 bail.
He was first arrested on April 28, 2015 in connection with two rapes in Moroka and again on February 11, 2016 for the rape of two other victims. He received R10 000 bail for each of the cases.
Kempton EXPRESS reported in February that IPID investigations were under way following the arrest of the suspect on February 11 in connection with multiple rapes.
Raburabu said at the time, “It is alleged that around June 2014 and February 2015, the officer raped two women, a 16-year-old teen and a 20-year-old woman, in an open veld in Soweto. The suspect also appeared in court last year for the rape of a nine-year-old girl.”
The accused first appeared in Protea Magistrate’s Court on April 18 for the rape of the nine-year-old girl.
He appeared again on February 16 when he was denied bail but was granted R10 000 bail in May.
Clarke said the MEC for Community Safety, Sizakele Nkosi-Malobane, confirmed that the accused had not been suspended in a written response to questions asked in Parliament.
In her reply, Nkosi-Malobane said a pre-suspension hearing was held. However, the acting chief of police at the time did not find grounds, as determined by the SALGA collective agreement, to suspend him.
According to the MEC, IPID and the police are currently investigating the charges against the accused in consultation with the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA). She could not indicate when the investigations would be finalised.
“The accused should do the honourable thing and step down from his position at the EMPD until investigations have been concluded,” added Clarke.
EMPD spokesperson, Lt Col Wilfred Kgasago, admitted that this was one of the most “complex and grave cases” the metro police have had to deal with.
“There is information that is so sensitive that we are not at liberty to divulge in full at this stage as it might jeopardise the criminal case,” Kgasago said in a statement.
“The EMPD has started administrative internal processes aimed at bringing the accused to a disciplinary hearing wherein the necessary action will be taken in accordance with and commensurate to the gravity of the matter,” he concluded.
The accused’s next court appearance will be in October at Palm Ridge Court.
