Following the alleged rape of an elderly lady, at gunpoint, on the 7th of January this year, the DA today led a picket outside Palm Ridge Magistrates Court where a man from the East Rand appeared on a charge of rape. The picket was in support of the victim and to call for swift justice in this case.
The case against the alleged perpetrator was initially wrongfully closed and it required the DA’s involvement and pressure to have it reopened.
The DA became involved in this matter when we were alerted of serious allegations of police misconduct when the case was opened against the alleged perpetrator. These allegations include that the case was closed without a DNA test being processed.
On 24 February the DA visited the Katlehong police station to follow up on the case on the victim’s behalf. More than two weeks after the incident, she had still not received any feedback from them. It was at this unannounced visit that we were informed that the case was closed as “there was no prospects of successful conviction”.
This information was not only shocking but very difficult to understand as the DNA test the victim did at the hospital in Vosloorus, where the SAPS took her, was not yet processed, let alone were key statements from various witnesses not taken.
On Monday 27 February, the DA went back to the Katlehong SAPS with the Commission for Gender Equality where they met the victim and was briefed on exactly what happened.
It was at this meeting that the victim revealed that the perpetrator allegedly tried to bribe her with R3000 and an “apology” to drop te case – in full view of the police officers at the station. She furthermore alleged that when this did not work, the police officers offered her KFC and R1000 to not pursue the matter further. She also refused this.
These allegations are extremely serious and the DA subsequently registered this case with the Executive Director at IPID for investigation. We received a confirmation from IPID yesterday that they will indeed be launching an investigation.
The DA has also wrote to the Deputy Minister of Justice and Correctional Services to request the NPA to investigate why the case was closed after only one appearance by the perpetrator in court.
The DA will continue to follow-up on this matter to ensure that SAPS is held accountable. If any of these allegations are true, the DA will insist that the police officers involved be summarily dismissed and also be criminally charged.
SAPS is the first responders to GBVF and they must always act in an ethical way and protect victims of GBVF from any coercion or secondary trauma.
After sustained pressure by the DA, the case was finally re-opened and the Warrant of Arrest was re-issued on 1 March 2023 and the suspect was finally arrested on 9 March.
While this is welcomed, it is important to note that the suspect was at large for 8 days and the victim had to be uprooted and moved to a place of safety because she did not feel safe in her home. The perpetrator was back in the community and allegedly intimidated and harassed her.
The DA will continue to follow-up on the IPID investigation as well as on the request for investigation by the NPA on why the case was closed in the first place.
We will not rest until justice is given to the victim! Everyone in this country that has been a victim of GBVF deserves justice!