Pretoria - Provincial commissioner of police in North West, Lieutenant-General Sello Kwena has sought to assure community members that acts of gender-based violence and any form of abuse will not be tolerated – even when the perpetrator is a member of the SAPS.
“The assurance comes after (a constable) and working at Mogwase police station was arrested on Thursday at his residential place for allegedly assaulting his girlfriend,” said North West police spokesperson Brigadier Sabata Mokgwabone.
The 36-year-old police officer is scheduled to appear before the Mogwase Magistrate’s Court on Monday.
“At the time of the arrest, the member was on bail consequent to the arrest by the Independent Police Investigative Directorate (Ipid) and appearance before the court in January 2022 for attempted murder, kidnapping and rape,” said Mokgwabone.
“That after he allegedly knocked down a woman with a car, then kidnapped and ultimately raped her at Welgevaal village near Mogwase. The accused is due to reappear in court on these cases on Tuesday. Moreover, a departmental hearing against the member is ongoing.”
North West provincial police chief Kwena has expressed “disapproval of the member’s conduct”, which he said was unacceptable and unethical.
Kwena said no special treatment would be given to the accused police officer and justice would be served in the cases.
In March, police watchdog Ipid said it was investigating allegations of rape against two North West-based police officers.The policemen allegedly raped a woman while she was handcuffed.
“The 20-year-old complainant alleges that she was at her boyfriend’s place at Lorwaneng village on March 30 when an argument ensued between the two and the police were called in. After interviewing them, the police officers informed her that they were detaining her for malicious damage to property as she had broken the windows at her partner’s place,” said Ipid spokesperson Lizzy Suping.
“She was handcuffed and on their way to the police station, they took a detour and told her that they were taking her home. The woman further alleged that they stopped near the Maseru entertainment place in Mahikeng.
“The officer who was on the passenger side came to her, pushed her back and forcefully opened her mouth and made her swallow some sweet drink which made her dizzy,” said Suping.
“The very officer undressed her and had raped her. After he had finished, the driver also raped her, and all this was happening while she was handcuffed.”
IOL