Women afraid after cop bungle
2009-11-30 00:00
Secunda - A seriously wounded woman from Standerton, her mother, and the 12-year-old daughter of a friend are currently in fear for their lives, since the police took the woman's suspected attackers to her flat, and later also to her mother's house for an "identity parade".
Wilma Coetzer, 23, told on Sunday how she and the 12-year-old, whose name is being withheld, had been walking home from Shoprite with their groceries on Friday at about 18:00, when two men attacked them near the NG Church in Cullinan Street.
"I felt a tug on my handbag and then something hit me hard in my face. I yelled at the girl to run away," said Coetzer. One of the men set off running after the little girl, but turned around when she ran into the offices of Kasselman Security and Zelatech, where Coetzer works.
Kasselman's security guards ran to Coetzer’s aid, where she was fighting againt her attackers as they tried to drag her to a dark area near the church.
She sustained head injuries in particular.
"They hit my head continuously. I can't remember everything that happened, but I realised they would easily be able to rape and kill me once they got me to that dark area, since nobody would be able to see us there from the road. That's why I fought so hard."
Beeld has heard that the security guards arrested the suspects and handed them over to the police.
"I was taken to the doctor, and the police said I should wait until the next day to give my statement," said Coetzer.
Cops were waiting
However, two Saps members, presumably reservists, were waiting for her at her flat - along with one of the suspects.
They wanted her to identify the man. The 12-year-old girl, who was so deeply traumatised that she only told her mother about the attack the next day, found herself face to face with the suspect.
"Tannie, I'm scared, because now they also know where I live." the little girl apparently told Coetzer's mother, Ria Coetzer.
Ria arrived at her daughter's flat on Friday night while the police and suspects were there.
"I took Wilma to my house and gave her painkillers and a sleeping pill."
Coetzer's cellphone started ringing at about 22:45. "Someone called to her to come outside. When I opened my front door, the same two policemen as before were standing on my veranda."
No ID
Apparently they wanted to take Coetzer to the police station in their vehicle to give her statement, but didn't want to identify themselves to her.
"They said, at that stage, both the attackers were in the police van in front of my house. When I confronted the policemen about it, the one policeman said: 'Don't worry, they do not want to harm you'."
Ria took her daughter to the police station herself to give her statement.
Coetzer was given a case number and was told to contact a detective, but the cellphone number of the detective went unanswered for the entire weekend.
Coetzer's alleged attackers will appear in the local magistrate's court on Monday.
Joseph Hlatswayo, police spokesperson, didn't know about the incident on Sunday, but did agree to follow the matter up with the station commander on Monday.