Cape Town - A rape and robbery complaint in Nyanga has exposed an intricate web of criminal activities in the area, and led to the arrest of eight suspects for various crimes.
Just before midnight on Wednesday, a man called the police to report a burglary and rape at his house.
When police arrived, the complainant took them to an address of a suspect in Lusaka informal settlement, Nyanga.
Police conducted a preliminary investigation at the house and the suspect agreed to take the police to his accomplices.
Four other men were found at the address.
When police searched the premises they found an unlicensed 9mm firearm with eight live rounds of ammunition.
After questioning those suspects, police were taken to another address where two women were found in possession of a flat-screen television, a laptop and a stethoscope not belonging to them.
In their house police also found two cellphones and a television set the complainant reported had been stolen during the burglary.
The cellphones belonged to two paramedics robbed at gunpoint only hours earlier, while responding to a call.
Police spokesperson Noloyiso Rwexana said: “The duo (paramedics) were approached by three suspects while driving.
One of them pointed at them with a firearm, instructed them to switch off the vehicle and to open the doors.
“The suspects entered and searched the vehicle and robbed them of cellphones, a bag and a stethoscope.”
The eight suspects, aged 19 to 23, will appear in Athlone Magistrate’s Court on charges of house robbery, rape, armed robbery, possession of an unlicensed firearm and ammunition, and possession of stolen property, Rwexana said.
EMS spokesperson Robert Daniels said the paramedics received counselling that same night.
“Crew members know that whenever they feel unsafe, they may stand down,” Daniels said.
Nyanga Community Policing Forum (CPF) secretary Dumisani Qwabe said crime in the area was at its highest, and related to unemployment and drugs.
To help quell the violence, the CPF on Wednesday night held a meeting to recruit residents into the forum.
“The community has the potential to help end these kinds of crimes,” Qwabe said.
@FrancescaJaneV
Cape Times