A Malmesbury police officer who is accused of raping a 40-year-old complainant was expected to appear in court on Monday.
His arrest follows the reported rape of a 41-year-old woman in police cells in the Western Cape town, about 65km north of Cape Town.
The complainant was allegedly picked up from her home by a detective on Christmas Day in connection with a case of theft, according to the Independent Police Investigative Directorate (Ipid).
According to the complainant, the accused officer invited her to join him for a drink at the police station after telling her that she had been mistakenly picked up. When she refused to drink with him, he allegedly undressed, lay on the cell mattress, and feigned sleep.
She tried to escape but the police officer allegedly grabbed her from behind, choked her, tore her clothes and sexually assaulted her. The officer reportedly dropped her off in town after the ordeal.
“A rape case has been opened, and medical reports have also been obtained. The victim’s torn clothes were also handed over as evidence,” said Lizzy Suping, the Ipid spokesperson.
“The accused officer is detained at the Riebeek SAPS [SA Police Service] and is expected to appear in [the Malmesbury magistrate’s] court soon.”
Keppler’s murder case postponed
In another case, a 42-year-old police officer who is suspected of killing his 22-year-old girlfriend in Eldorado Park failed to show up for his appearance in the Protea Magistrate’s Court in Soweto on Monday.
According to the court, the accused is being held by the police at Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital after being unable to appear in court because of illness.
The matter has been postponed to January 6.
It is alleged that on Christmas eve, Chesnay Patricia Keppler’s boyfriend shot her in her house in the township south of Johannesburg. Keppler had reportedly barricaded herself in the house to escape her abusive boyfriend.
