Four of seven rape suspects in Middelburg in police custody
Four suspects in the case of a Middelburg woman being raped, have appeared in court. The SAPS is on the hunt for the others.
Following the Krugersdorp incident in which zama zamas were alleged to have gangraped eight women, yet another victim in Mpumalanga has fallen prey.
A 43-year-old woman was reportedly gangraped by seven men on Saturday evening, October 1, at about 23:00 in Mhluzi near Middelburg.
The police have so far arrested four suspects aged between 17 and 24.
According to a provincial police spokesperson, Colonel Donald Mdhluli, a rape case was opened and the docket was assigned to the Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences Unit to probe.
“The woman is said to have accompanied a relative who had visited the family earlier. On her way back, she came across a group of men who were driving in a bakkie. The men allegedly alighted from the vehicle, dragged her to a nearby room and took turns raping her. As if this was not enough, at about 05:00 the next day, another man, believed to be residing in the said room, arrived, probably from work. Instead of rescuing the victim, he too allegedly joined the queue and raped her after he had chased away all other suspects. Thereafter he fled the scene, leaving behind the woman, who then reported the matter to the police.”
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Mdhluli said four suspects were arrested and appeared in the Middelburg Magistrate’s Court facing rape charges. “The case was postponed to October 11 for a bail application. Meanwhile, they remain in custody. The men and women in blue are still in pursuit of the remaining suspects,” said Mdhluli.
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The provincial police commissioner, Lieutenant General Semakaleng Manamela, has strongly condemned this barbaric act.
“This is disheartening for such men to have even thought about acting like wild animals and preying on defenceless women. The law should indeed take its course. Our members will also work hard to arrest the remaining suspects. So far we applaud the team for arresting these four, and we are confident that it is just a matter of time before outstanding ones are brought to book as well.”
