’Cop raped shoplifter’: Constable suspended after man claims he was sodomised in bush
ARRESTED: 31-year-old Nyanga cop. File photo
A cop has been arrested for allegedly raping a male shoplifter.
The 31-year-old male constable from Nyanga was nabbed on Sunday after the 29-year-old victim, who was being detained for alleged shoplifting, laid a charge.
It is alleged that the cop took the man to a veldjie, where he forced him to watch porn before sodomising him.
Independent Police investigative Directorate spokesperson Grace Langa says last Thursday at about 4pm, the victim was at a clothing store at Junction Mall in Philippi.
“The male victim was at the Jet store at Junction Mall where security suspected that he wanted to steal clothing,” she explains.
“Police were called and upon arrival they handcuffed and assaulted him and put him at the back of the police van and transported him to Browns Farm satellite office where police passengers got out and the driver went with him to Nyanga Police Station.
“He picked up a female officer and dropped her off at Crossroads, then drove with him (the victim) to a gravel road to the bushes near the airport.”
Langa says that the cop opened the door and ordered the victim to kneel.
She explains: “At that time, he was still in the police vehicle, handcuffed...
“He put a gun against the victim’s stomach and pulled down the victim’s pants.
“He started playing with his penis while playing a porn video from the phone, telling him to watch.
“He then turned him around and penetrated his penis in the victim’s anus and when he was done, he drove with him to his address in Khayelitsha where he removed his police uniform and later took the victim home to Gugulethu.”
She says the traumatised man contacted his cousin, who is also a police officer, and asked him to come to his house to tell him what had happened.
“The victim was never detained for theft.
“Nyanga police have opened a rape case against the officer.”
Nyanga Community Police Forum chairperson Martin Makasi says they will be monitoring the progress of the case, while SAPS spokeswoman Brigadier Novela Potelwa confirmed the officer was summarily suspended.
"Due to the seriousness of the allegations levelled against the 31-year-old police constable, an expeditious internal disciplinary process into the fitness of the member to be in the South African Police Service, has been initiated,“ he says.
Western Cape Provincial Commissioner, Lt General Thembisile Patekile added: “It is incidents like these that adversely impact the relationship between police and communities.
“Police are expected to be protectors of communities.”