Cop arrested for raping fellow police officer

The Independent Police Investigative Directorate (Ipid) has arrested a student constable in KwaZulu-Natal for allegedly raping his colleague after a braai.

Ipid spokesperson Phaladi Shuping said the 26-year-old was released on R2 000 bail after appearing at Pietermaritzburg Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday.

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“The incident allegedly occurred on 1 September 2023, during a gathering where student constables were having a braai and drinks at their rental compound,” he said.

“When it was time for them to go to their respective rooms to sleep, the arrested officer allegedly went into the room of the complainant, 26, and raped her.”

The case was reported to Ipid, and they conducted an investigation. The docket was then handed over to the office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP).

After the DPP’s directive, the accused was arrested and charged for rape, later making bail.

The case was postponed to 15 April.

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Police committing crime

This comes less than three weeks after a police sergeant was granted R5 000 bail in a case in which he is charged with killing a SANDF member after a tavern fight got out of hand.

Sergeant Headman Mathe (37) allegedly shot dead Sonnyboy Mgwenya (33) outside the Hoedspruit Police Station in Limpopo after the latter had tried to open a case against him over the fight.

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Rape often perpetrated by someone you know

In the crime statistics revealed two weeks ago, Police Minister Bheki Cele said most South Africans who are raped, are violated in their own home or the residence of the perpetrator, often by a person known to them.

According to the sexual offences breakdown, rape cases went down by 1.7%, while sexual assaults decreased 1.9% between 1 October and 31 December last year when compared the same time in 2022.

Cele noted that Gauteng, Eastern Cape, KwaZulu-Natal, Limpopo, Northern Cape, and Western Cape all witnessed a decline in sexual offences.

“What is still worrying and of great concern is that the majority of the rapes were committed at victims’ residences. The perpetrators were either neighbours, friends or family members,” he said.

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Additional reporting by: Molefe Seeletsa.