YOUTH Day celebrations turned into a young woman’s worst nightmare when she was sexually assaulted by a friend in her home in Firwood Road on Monday night, 16 June.
Lt Elvis Naidoo, communication officer at Greenwood Park SAPS, reported that prior to the incident the 18-year-old was relaxing in front of the television with her boyfriend and several friends.
The assault happened at approximately 9.30pm, after two of the friends went home and the victim’s boyfriend made a trip to the shops.
“The alleged assailant stayed behind, watching television in the lounge. Whilst the victim was working on her laptop he approached the victim and made sexual advances. When she refused his advances he forced himself on her, and later fled the scene” he said.
Dave Campbell, co-owner of Marshall Security, reported that the company’s patrollers stopped at the scene when they noticed a crowd of people on the corner of Effingham Road and Firwood Road. They were informed of the incident, and requested assistance from The Greenwood Park SAPS and Crisis Medical.
A relative of the victim informed the patrollers that the alleged assailant was a friend of the victim. He provided the patrollers with a description of the man and his potential location. “Our response officers searched the area and one of our members spotted the suspect and arrested him. He was handed over to SAPS Greenwood Park,” he said.
According to Michael Stuart, the Greenwood Park SAPS CPF chairman of sub forum 2, only one prior sexual assault case was reported this year in the Greenwood Park vicinity.
Authorities do not believe that the incidents were related. At this stage it is believed that the latest assault was an isolated incident, as the assailant was known to the victim.
A sexual assault case has been opened at the Greenwood Park station. An investigation is underway. The accused is expected to appear in court today.