An abandoned building on 270 Lilian Ngoyi Street – known to house scores of vagrants – became a 22-year-old pregnant woman’s worst nightmare on 15 May as she was making her way back from work.
The woman who is three-months pregnant, was walking home with a male co-worker at about 5am when they were allegedly accosted by a group of men suspected to occupy the abandoned building situated in the busy part of town.
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Commenting on the incident, Joburg Central Police spokesperson, Captain Xoli Mbele said, “After being confronted by the suspects, the woman’s colleague was [allegedly] assaulted at gunpoint before she was dragged into the dark building where the gang rape incident took place. However, during the ordeal, the woman’s co-worker contacted the police, who responded swiftly.
“A police contingent consisting of about 10 officers were dispatched to the building, where they found the woman in a bad state.
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“Police rescued the victim and admitted her to the Victim Empowerment Centre at the police station for post-trauma counselling, before transporting her to a Joburg hospital for examination.”
Johannesburg Central Cluster Police arrested 11 suspects for kidnap, rape, assault and armed robbery. The victims’ cellphones and an undisclosed amount of money wasrecovered. A police investigation is underway, while the suspects are remanded in police custody until they appear in the Johannesburg Magistrates’ Court on 17 May.
Details: Report suspicious activity on the Crime Stop hotline on 086 001 0111.
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