CAPE TOWN - A Brackenfell police officer accused of raping a young woman who sought help from her abusive boyfriend made a brief appearance in the Blue Downs Magistrate’s Court on Monday.
The case was postponed to February 2 for a bail application, and he was remanded in custody, said National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) Western Cape spokesperson Eric Ntabazalila.
The officer was arrested by the Independent Police Investigative Directorate (Ipid) on January 14 after he returned to the Western Cape.
It is alleged that the accused and a colleague had attended to a complaint by the 26-year-old woman, who sought assistance in a case of domestic violence at her home.
The officers offered to transport her to a safe place, which would be at a friend’s house, where the woman would sleep.
However, they started at the Brackenfell police station where she was supposed to first lodge a case against her partner.
The accused officer is alleged to have instead insisted that the colleague remain behind so that he could transport the woman.
He drove the woman to Stellenbosch where he allegedly raped her and threatened to kill her.
The EFF has supported the woman, with the party’s Cape metro spokesperson, Andiswa Madikazi previously saying that the survivor has started receiving counselling.
“We welcome the arrest and we will make sure that justice is served. Our gender- based violence team will be in court. It cannot be that people who are supposed to be protectors abuse their powers by raping, bullying or harassing people.”
Cape Times