Police launch probe after five women gang-raped at funeral parlour

Police in Malipsdrift, Limpopo have launched an urgent probe into an incident in which five women were allegedly gang raped, one man shot and injured and six others brutally assaulted by a group of criminals.

It is understood the six gun-wielding suspects stormed into two funeral parlours situated next to Leporong along the R37 road in the early hours of Monday morning.

According to reports, two female friends were on their way to visit a boyfriend working at Wisani Burial Society Funeral Parlour when they were accosted by six men who grabbed them and took them to the first mortuary, where they shot and injured one employee.

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Police spokesperson Brigadier Motlafela Mojapelo said the group of criminals then attacked another mortuary.

“On arrival, they found three female and six male employees. All six males were severely assaulted by the suspects, allegedly using the buds of their firearms until they became unconscious.

“All five females were then gang-raped and robbed of their cellphones and other belongings.”

“The suspects thereafter took an undisclosed amount of money from the safe and fled the scene,” Mojapelo said.

Mojapelo said the victims were discovered by another employee who was reporting for duty, and the police were then alerted.

“On arrival at the scene, they found the badly injured victims lying on the ground and others on chairs. Some of the female victims were also assaulted. The victims were transported to hospital for medical treatment.”

Mojapelo added that five counts of rape, three counts of kidnapping, attempted murder and business robbery have been opened.

The Provincial Commissioner of Police in Limpopo, Lieutenant General Thembi Hadebe, has already activated a team of investigators to hunt down the suspects.

“The team will spend sleepless nights, hunting down these heartless criminals and bringing them to book. I urge community members to come forward with information to assist the police in cracking these cases as speedily as possible,” said Hadebe.

Mojapelo has urged anyone with information that may lead to the arrest of the suspects to contact their nearest police station or the Crime Stop number on 08600 10111.

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