Kimberley – Three men, including a high-ranking municipal official from the Emthanjeni Local Municipality and a caretaker employed at a local primary school in Britstown, were released on bail of R500 each on Tuesday after allegedly gang-raping a woman at an initiation ceremony over the weekend.
Family members of the woman have cried foul over what they called interference in the criminal and justice system, claiming that the accused were granted special treatment, while they themselves were being intimidated and harassed.
“It appears as if the accused are untouchable. There are people meddling in the case, from politicians to religious leaders. The court in Britstown only sits once a week on Thursdays and the magistrate is currently on leave. We would like an independent investigating officer to be assigned to the case, so that the complainant is not prejudiced,” the family members said.
Police spokeswoman, Lieutenant-Colonel Dimakatso Mooi, said that the accused, Patrick Mbombo, 39, Carel Riempies, 39, and Siyabulela Tshandu, 31, were arrested and appeared in the Britstown Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday on a charge of rape.
“It is alleged that on December 30 2016, the victim was at an initiation ceremony and went inside a shack in the yard to get traditional beer. A man inside the shack allegedly slapped her four times before raping her and was thereafter joined by another two men, who took turns raping her,” said Mooi.
She added that the case was postponed until March 30 for further investigation, after the accused were granted bail of R500 each.
Family members of the victim stated that police officials and politicians had accused her of lying about the incident.
“They informed us that the case will not go anywhere. One of her relatives was accused of orchestrating the incident, in order for the accused to spend New Year’s Day behind bars. This is ludicrous, the victim is an orphan and we would do anything to protect her.”
The family stated that they had requested the police to warn individuals not to threaten or swear at them.
“Now that the accused are out on bail, we fear for our safety and the safety of the woman who was raped. They took advantage of her and she was severely traumatised. She was not able to walk because of the pain for the first two days.”
Family members also said that the complainant was threatened that she would be harmed if she tried to scream for help while she was being raped.
“She asked a friend to assist her when she eventually managed to leave the room. She was taken to the police station as well as a clinic in De Aar for a medical examination. She is also receiving anti-retroviral treatment, as we are afraid that she could have been exposed to the HIV/Aids virus. She pleaded with the accused to use some form of protection but they refused.”
They claimed that the accused were being protected by the very same institutions that preach against violence and sexual offences against women and children.
“If it is one of their own, they sing a different tune. The caretaker at the local school has access to minor children.”
Spokesman for the Office of the MEC for the Department of Education, Geoffrey van der Merwe, said that he was aware of the incident.
“We have always taken all measures to ensure the safety of our learners. However, at this stage, we will make a determination on Monday when we have all the information at our disposal to make an informed decision.”
Van der Merwe added that the matter would be treated with the attention it deserved.
“We condemn any form of violence in our communities, especially against women and children, as it contributes to the moral decay in our society. We will act in accordance with the best interest of our learners.”