A DETECTIVE stationed at the Brighton Beach police station has been hailed for her detective skills after she cracked a rape case involving a 12-year-old girl.

Detective Sergeant Zanele Zuma is among the officers working at the Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences unit.

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Zuma secured a life imprisonment sentence in a rape case at the Durban Magistrate’s Court recently.

According to the police, Gareth Lee Martin (41) invited the victim to his flat in Wentworth in 2021 where he raped her.

Police spokesperson in Wentworth, Captain Mbuso Gumede, said the victim, whose details cannot be mentioned because of her age, went into the flat not knowing the reason she was called.

“Upon entering his flat, the accused [raped her]. After the incident, the victim was caught chatting with her sibling about the incident, and later disclosed the matter to her mother,” said Gumede.

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The matter was reported at the Wentworth police station and later transferred to the Brighton Beach Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences unit.

Zuma resumed an investigation that led to Martin’s arrest.

“She collected all the crucial evidence and compiled a watertight case to ensure that the matter is prepared for a trial. Zuma is highly commended, and the management at Wentworth police station thanked her for investigating a serious case involving a child which led to a conviction,” Gumede added.

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