A 50-year-old man, believed to be a school transport driver, has been arrested on a charge of rape after police found a schoolgirl with him.
On Thursday afternoon, the SAPS Crime Prevention Unit from Philippi police station was patrolling and zoned in on a vehicle parked off a gravel road in rural Philippi. The driver had an 11-year-old girl in the car with him.
Police say when the suspect saw the police vehicle he started the car hastily and tried to drive off, but the wakker officers, by now highly suspicious, stopped him in his tracks.
The female officer with the unit questioned the girl, who explained to the officer “what the man had done to her”.
Police did not reveal any details of the alleged sexual abuse.
The 11-year-old girl is from the Crossroads area and the suspect, who lives in Gugulethu, is believed to be a taxi driver ferrying primary school kids in and around the Crossroads area.
Police spokesperson Captain FC van Wyk confirms the arrest: “Police arrested the 50-year-old male suspect on a charge of rape. The suspect will make his appearance in the Athlone Magistrates’ Court [today] on a charge of rape.
“Police investigation on the case of rape continues.”
Anyone with information can call the police at 021 690 1500 or Crime Stop at 08 600 10111.
Van Wyk says all information will be treated as highly confidential.