NELSPRUIT – A 28-year-old suspect appeared before the Nelspruit Magistrate’s Court on Thursday on charges of rape and attempted murder.
The appearance of the suspect emanates from a brutal attack of two elderly women in White River on Tuesday.
During the attack, the women were asleep in their makeshift shack situated in the open field near Angel Park School in White River, where the women look after their gardens.
The facts of the matter revealed that on that fateful day when the women were attacked, the suspect broke the door of their makeshift shack, to gain entry. One of the women managed to identify the culprit and called him by name, asking him what was his problem.
The vicious suspect used a plough which was in the shack to hit one of the women and she fell to the ground. She sustained serious injuries on her head and lower body.
The suspect ordered her to cover her face with a blanket and allegedly raped the other woman. When he was done, he informed the traumatised and helpless old women that he will summon an ambulance to give medical attention to the injured victim.
The woman who was raped managed to go to neighbouring houses to seek help. The police were called and the suspect was found in the bushes and arrested on Wednesday not far from the scene.
The provincial Commissioner Lieutenant General Thulani Ntobela, thanked the community for assisting the police with information. “The positive participation of the community in the fight against crime will never go unnoticed,” said Ntobela.
The police will also use DNA to find out if the suspect cannot be linked to other cases.
The police discovered that in 2012, the suspect absconded bail on a change of possession of drugs.
He was remanded in custody until today for legal representative.
