LIMPOPO – The provincial police commisioner Lieutenant General Thembi Hadebe said police will spend sleepless nights hunting down the suspects responsible for the gang rape of five women in the Malipsdrift area.
A group of six, gun-wielding suspects stormed two funeral parlours near Leporing along the R37 in the early hours of Sunday morning (September 4), which also left one man shot and six other men brutally assaulted.
Police spokesperson Brigadier Motlafela Mojapelo said two female friends were walking along the R37 to visit someone at a local funeral parlour when they were accosted by six men who grabbed them and took them to the first mortuary.
An employee was then shot and injured.
“They then proceeded to the next mortuary and on arrival, found three female and six male employees. All six males were severely assaulted unconscious with the butt of their firearms and all five females were gang-raped and robbed of their cellphones and other belongings,” Mojapelo said.
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He added that the suspects took an undisclosed amount of money from the safe and fled the scene.
The victims were discovered by an employee who reported for duty and the police were alerted.
“Police found the victims on the ground and others on chairs and were transported to hospital for medical treatment. Some of the female victims were also assaulted,” he said.
Hadebe launched a manhunt shortly after and has urged the community to come forward with information to assist the police in hunting down the ‘heartless criminals’ and bring them to book.
Mojapelo said cases of five counts of rape, three counts of kidnapping, attempted murder and business robbery have been opened.
Anyone with information can contact Lieutenant Colonel Lehlagane Mamadisa on 079 894 5482; the crime stop number (08600 10111) or the nearest police station.
“Callers may opt to remain anonymous and any information received will be treated with strict confidentiality,” Mojapelo said.
