Man rapes girl, dies in cell
2007-03-03 07:16
Johannesburg - A 40-year-old man died mysteriously in a police holding cell just three hours after being arrested on suspicion of repeatedly raping a minor in Amsterdam, said Mpumalanga police on Friday.
The man allegedly kidnapped and raped a 13-year-old orphaned girl repeatedly throughout Thursday night and only released her on Friday morning, said superintendent Abie Khoabane.
"He grabbed the girl while she was walking home from a store and forced her to his home where he raped her overnight."
He said the girl told her aunt on Friday morning, who in turn called police.
"A doctor who examined the girl confirmed the rape and the man was arrested while drinking beer at a tavern around 15:00 today (on Friday)."
But when police conducted a routine cell inspection at the Amsterdam police station, they found the man bleeding from the nose and mouth, said Khoabane.
"There was no sign of a physical attack. His cell mate said he just fell to the ground and started bleeding."
A post mortem will be conducted to establish the cause of death.
- SAPA