LIMPOPO - GIRL RAPED WALKING HOME FROM CHURCH & 3 YEARS LATER SUSPECTS STILL NOT ARRESTED

A family of a 19-year-old girl from Mapela village in Limpopo, are seething after the two men who raped their daughter three years ago have still not been arrested, although they reported the matter to the police.

The girl’s name is being withheld to protect her identity but she was 16 years old in 2014 when she was walking home alone at 7pm from church. She came across a guy known to her, who offered to walk her home as it was late in the evening.

On the way, they came across two men – one with a gun and the other holding a knife.

“They walked us to the bushes next to the Ramarulana grave yard with the gun and knife pointed at us. They threatened to kill us if we shouted or tried to escape,” the victim said.

The guy who had accompanied the girl said every time he tried to look at the armed men, they would beat him up so he couldn’t see who they were.

“When we got to the scene, they forced us to undress. We tried fighting with them but we got beaten,” he said.

The two suspects then allegedly took turns raping her. When they were done, they allegedly tried to force her escort to rape the woman as well. When he refused they beat him up.

“They said I should rape her too and when I told them I cannot, I got beaten up. They ended up leaving us,” the man said.

“I heard one of the suspects calling the other by name saying: ‘let’s leave them’,” the girl said.

She was able to see the other suspect as they were leaving. The family are angry as they went to the police to lay charges but the case was handled badly and nothing has been done to apprehend the suspects.

“We opened the case in April 2014 after my child was raped by two men, yet we haven’t heard anything from the police,” the victim’s father said.

“The only time we heard from them was the time they came to take statements from my child and her friend a couple of days after this incidence.”

The girl’s father said the only time the police came to their house is when they were taking statements.

“DNA samples were taken, but we never got the results. Suspects were arrested but now they are out. The case was on hold and no one told us. We feel as if the police are failing us,” he said.

The female victim said she often comes across one of the rapists and the suspect never speaks to her but after the journalist started asking questions, the suspect spoke to her saying it’s been a while since he last saw her.

“I am scared for my life. I keep asking myself what if this thing happens again,” she said.

Her father said he is scared and concerned for her safety and wished that something could be done. He said it pains him as a parent knowing that the criminals who hurt her child are out there having fun, meanwhile his family still cannot get closure over what happened.

“All we want is justice.”

Asked why the case was taking so long to resolve, deputy provincial commissioner Maj-Gen Bafana Linda said the DNA results came out negative and the investigation still continues.

Linda said he was not aware that the family was not informed about the progress of the case.

“We never received any complaint from the family regarding this case, that is why we were not aware that the family is not informed,” Linda said.

He promised to look into the case and try to resolve the matter. – 701295

VIA - TheNewAge