Cape Town - A 37-year-old Somerset West woman has told of a harrowing ordeal in which she was abducted by two men and a woman for seven hours during which she was raped by one of the men.
An early evening fight with her husband of just more than a year led Nicky Ford (not her real name) to walk the streets of Somerset West on the night of January 17, looking for an overnight shelter after her husband kicked her out of their home, accusing her of overdosing on pills.
Barefoot, terrified and with an almost dead phone, Ford said she sought refuge at the local night shelter but was rejected as it was after hours.
In the dark, alone as she was walking to the police station, Ford said a car with three occupants approached and inside were “two guys and a woman” who, after stopping, pulled her by her hair and forced her inside.
Ford said the trio drove off and stopped behind a railway line.
“When we got to this place, the lady and one guy went out to get something while I remained behind with the other guy, who raped me on the railway line before the other two could return with drugs and drugged me. They pulled me by my hair back to the car and they drove to a dodgy neighbourhood. Then we stopped at the La Grotto, a night club in Somerset West,” she said.
Ford said the trio pushed her to the back of the club and forced her to drink a beer, telling her that she could not leave.
She said the trio promised to organise bed-and-breakfast accommodation for her if she drank the beer.
Ford said saw a police vehicle outside at about 3am and she ran to it and was rescued. She is now being treated at a psychiatric clinic and says she is looking forward to the rest of her healing process.
“The police officers who rescued me told me that the club was known for trafficking women. As much as it was my husband’s fault, it was also the shelter’s fault for what happened to me. I was a woman in complete distress. I begged them to let me inside and was willing to sleep on the chair, but they refused,” she said.
Police spokesperson FC van Wyk said a case of rape and abduction was registered at Somerset West police station for investigation and the case was transferred to Khayelitsha FCS for further investigation.
Van Wyk said a 35-year-old man was arrested a day after the incident and appeared at Somerset West Magistrate’s Court on January 20.
He said the man was still in custody for further investigation and bail application. He is to appear again on March 9.