Pretoria - The Pretoria Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday heard details which led to the arrest of two men accused of breaking into the Groenkloof home of a 95-year-old woman before ransacking it and brutally raping her.
William Mulaudzi, 32, and Xolani Ngudle, 33, face four counts of rape, one charge of housebreaking with intent to steal and theft.
The pair have pleaded not guilty to all the charges.
Warrant Officer Peter Maharela told the court he was approached by the investigating officer to help trace two suspects alleged to have been involved in a house robbery and rape of an elderly woman.
“The investigating officer told me that he was in possession of fingerprints that were lifted from the crime scene and gave me the names of the suspects,” Maharela said.
He then contacted his informers to help him trace the wanted men.
Maharela has been a member of the SAPS tracing unit for eight years and a police officer for 21 years. “One of my informants told me I would be able to locate Xolani (Ngudle) at Steve Biko and Stanza Bopape streets, and that’s where I found him,” said Maharela.
He introduced himself and explained his purpose to Ngudle, who in turn confirmed his identity before he arrested him.
“I then went to the address of the second suspect and another informant identified William (Mulaudzi) who was in a group of people,” he said. He followed the same procedure of introducing himself and explaining his purpose before arresting him.
Maharela said Mulaudzi was in possession of a ladies’ handbag with jewellery.
“It crossed my mind that he was wanted in relation to a house robbery.
“I thought perhaps the bag could have been taken from the house.
“I confiscated the handbag. Both men were taken to the Brooklyn police station,” he testified.
Defence counsel advocate Jacob Malende cross-examined Maharela on the events that unfolded during and after he arrested Ngudle.
He put it to Maharela that not only did he arrest his client, Ngudle, on suspicion of having committed a crime, but that he also assaulted him along with other members of his team on the day of the arrest.
Maharela told the court that he arrested Ngudle based on the information he received from the investigating officer, which mainly comprised of his name.
He said that Ngudle would not have been sitting in court if his fingerprints were not combed from the scene.
Magistrate Mokone Moloto quickly dismissed the line of questioning, telling Malende that Maharela was not responsible for investigating the incident, but only the tracing and arresting of suspects.
Moloto postponed the matter for July 25 to 28 for further evidence to be presented in court.
Pretoria News