The Provincial Commissioner of Police, Lieut-Gen Semakaleng Daphney Manamela, indicated that police regard cases of gender-based violence and femicide in a serious light.
According to a statement dated May 27, this sentiment comes in a wake of a breakthrough when Amersfoort Police nabbed a 20-year-old man on May 26.
Police apprehended him in connection with allegations of two separate counts of rape in which one of the victims was a minor.
His arrest follows the collaborative effort between the community and police.
According to the statement, the public did not hesitate to inform police about an alleged rapist, who was on the run after being spotted in Amersfoort on May 26 by the victim’s mother.
Police are said to have swiftly responded, cornering the suspect.
The suspect has reportedly been in hiding in Amersfoort since the allegedly rapes between July and August 2021.
Police reports indicated that he, armed with a knife, allegedly held a woman (31) hostage during the evening of July last year.
He allegedly robbed her of a cellphone and tekkies/sneakers, allegedly raped her before fleeing with her personal items.
Thereafter, he allegedly entered a house in Amersfoort in August the same year, held a family hostage and allegedly raped a girl (16) in front of her mother and brother.
He also allegedly stole her cellphone and sneakers before fleeing.
According to the statement, both incidents were assigned to a team from Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences Unit (FCS) in Standerton to investigate. The FCS-team is considered to be experts in the field of probing cases, mostly related to rapes and crimes committed against women and children.
The statement went on to say that the team worked tirelessly and his arrest took place in the eve of Child Protection Week.
The suspect will possibly be linked to the rape cases and police cannot rule out the possibility of adding more charges against him as the investigation continues.
Lieut-Gen Manamela emphasised the critical part that the public can play in the value chain of addressing gender-based violence and femicides.
“We are grateful for the overwhelming support from our communities in this province through information on the whereabouts of wanted suspects,” she concluded.
“The battle against the scourge is winnable as long as we continue to work together.”
