Two armed suspects who allegedly robbed and raped a stranded woman along the N1 freeway on New Year’s eve last year, were remanded in custody by the Alexandra Magistrates’ Court pending further investigation.
Their case was postponed to 15 May this year.
The 35- and 24-year-old suspects allegedly walked to the victim who was in a vehicle parked on the side of the Rivonia offramp after it ran out of petrol. She was waiting for assistance.
At first, they passed the vehicle and then returned moments later. One of them allegedly pointed a gun at her. The other allegedly smashed the vehicle’s window with a brick and snatched her handbag from which he took her cellphones, an undisclosed amount of cash and bank cards. He ordered her to give him the bank cards’ pin numbers which she did and he walked away.
The other armed suspect ordered her out of the vehicle and took her to a bushy spot where he allegedly raped her. She heard a vehicle – not hers – drive off. Later, the alleged rapist received a call suspected to be from his accomplice informing him that he had withdrawn the money. She again heard a vehicle stop nearby and the suspect left, crossed the road and got into the vehicle which drove off.
The suspects were nabbed by patrolling police on 26 March last year while sitting in a suspicious looking vehicle parked under an overhead bridge at night. The vehicle fit the description of the one police were tracing in connection with the incident. It also matched CCTV footage taken at a nearby garage on the day of the crime.
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