Johannesburg - EFF leader Julius Malema claims his family has been failed by the criminal justice system after a man who allegedly raped his 15-year-old niece was apparently released on a warning shortly after being arrested.
Malema said on Twitter on Monday that he had assisted Seshego police with the arrest of the alleged perpetrator on Sunday but was shocked to learn that the man was immediately released on a warning by the prosecutor and the police officer involved.
Malema said his brother would be opening a defeating the ends of justice case as rape was legally not allowed to be treated in such a manner.
“Yesterday, I helped the lazy Seshego police to arrest a suspect who raped my sister’s 15-year-old daughter after they failed to do so for two nights. What shocked me this morning is that the suspect was released on warning by a prosecutor and an officer, on the same day.
“My brother will open a case of defeating the ends of justice against the prosecutor and the officer because what they did is not within the law. Rape doesn't fall under schedule 7 of the criminal procedure act which authorizes such a procedure,” Malema tweeted to his 3 million followers on Monday.
Yesterday I helped the lazy seshego police to arrest a suspect who raped my sister’s 15-year-old daughter after they failed to do so for two nights. What shocked me this morning is that the suspect was released on warning by a prosecutor and an officer, on the same day.
— Julius Sello Malema (@Julius_S_Malema) June 8, 2020
His tweets received comfort messages from supporters and other users including former Public Protector Thuli Madonsela who also expressed shocked.
“I’m sorry for your niece’s experience and that of the family. A colleague’s sister had a similar experience in Benoni early this year. She and family were traumatized. I hope everyone gets counselling, including yourself and that justice eventually prevails,” she said.
%%%twitter https://twitter.com/hashtag/countmein?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#countmein
— Prof Thuli Madonsela (@ThuliMadonsela3)
Limpopo's acting provincial police commissioner Major General Jan Scheepers has ordered an investigation at the Seshego police station, according to a spokesperson.
"The Acting Provincial Commissioner of the South African Police Service Limpopo Major General Scheepers has ordered that the circumstances of the suspect’s released be investigated. The case has since been taken over by the Provincial FCS Unit for further handling," Limpopo police spokesperson Brigadier Motlafela Mojapelo said.