Cops in court for child rape
2008-03-01 12:16
Johannesburg - Five Limpopo police officers have appeared in the Kriel Magistrate's Court for allegedly repeatedly raping a 12-year old girl, provincial police said on Friday.
Police spokesperson Abie Khoabane said the girl had come to the police to report an abusive father in 2006 who was always fighting with the girl and her mother.
"The police, aged between 25 and 35, said to the girl 'we'll solve your problems for sexual activity'."
Since 2006 until this Thursday, the girl was raped by various of the five policemen on different occasions, sometimes at her house and sometimes after being brought to the police barracks.
Recently, other police officials came to speak at the girl's school about abuse and domestic violence and the need to "break the silence".
Khoabane said the girl then told a teacher about the abuse.
Rape, intimidation and corruption
On Thursday, when the alleged rapists found out other police were taking the girl's statement about the abuse, one of them went to her to intimidate her and also raped her.
Khoabane said police began their investigations and arrested the policemen on Friday morning.
They appeared on Friday in the Kriel Magistrate's Court on charges of statutory rape, intimidation, corruption and attempts to defeat the ends of justice.
They remain in custody and will reappear in court on March 7 for a bail application. They were suspended immediately without pay.
"We will take them head on" in departmental investigations, said Khoabane.
"We expect them to protect children against any forms of violence and abuse."
- SAPA