Cape Town - Parliament has condemned the alleged rape of a suspected shoplifter by a police officer in Nyanga, Western Cape, a few days ago.
On Monday, Police Portfolio Committee Chairperson Tina Joemat-Pettersson condemned the alleged rape of the suspected shoplifter by a police constable and called for the prosecution of the alleged rapist.
Provincial spokesperson Brigadier Novela Potelwa confirmed that a police officer was arrested at the weekend for allegedly raping a male victim suspected of shoplifting.
Potelwa said the arrest of the constable followed an investigation by the Independent Police Investigative Directorate after allegations came to light that the officer raped the man in the police van.
“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 (SAPS) has been initiated,” Potelwa said.
Joemat-Pettersson added that the committee welcomed the arrest of the suspect.
“The relationship between the SAPS and the community at large is harmed by such abuses of power by some rotten elements within the SAPS.
“Therefore, we believe that the suspect must be prosecuted to set an example to other police officers inclined to perpetrate such heinous acts,” she said.
Joemat-Pettersson also welcomed the constable’s speedy suspension, saying it would enable a thorough internal disciplinary process.
“While we don’t want to influence the internal process in any way, the committee has, since its inception, spoken strongly against the abuse of power and authority by the very people that are supposed to enforce the law.
“The police members are not the law. They must enforce the law and are also subject to the law. We maintain that the SAPS must do all it can to rid the service of such criminals to regain the credibility of the service,” she said.
Political Bureau