Rapists run riot in Letlhakane

Lindiwe Mozola | Thursday December 15, 2016 16:15

Letlhakane station commander, Superintendent Michael Maphephu told Mmegi that the cases were rising in spite of interventions designed to teach residents how to fight the scourge.

Maphephu said he was “very disappointed” in women who put themselves in jeopardy by getting drunk beyond limits and attempting to walk home from parties or bars. He said such victims were unable to identify their assailants, allowing the culprits to continue walking the streets unpunished.

“We are very aware of freedom of association. However reports show that many women are raped while coming from clubs, shebeens and parties at night, which is a result of their vulnerability due to high alcohol consumption.

“It is also troubling because whenever they open cases of rape, they are not able to identify the culprits since they were drunk when the incident happened.

“Without information we cannot investigate anything or arrest anyone,” he said. He advised women to always leave parties early if they do not own any mode of transport in order to avoid being violated. Maphephu also said that in the past police used to advise women to make sure that when going out at night they do so in the company of males they trust.

“However, these days no one can be trusted because the very same men change into animals and rape them,” Maphephu said.

Maphephu revealed that on December 12, four men attacked three women who were on their way from a drinking spree. Maphephu said one woman managed to escape while the two women left behind were gang-raped.

He said that the perpetrators are still at large as the victims were unable to identify them.

Police in Letlhakane are also investigating a case in which on December 12, a 44-year-old man broke into a house at night and raped 48-year-old woman who was sleeping, Maphephu said.