Court hears how Western Cape Constable drove arrested teen to remote area and raped her in police vehicle

A Western Cape police officer from Lwandle Crime Prevention Unit was found guilty of raping an 18-year-old woman by the Wynberg Regional Court on Tuesday.

Spokesperson for the Independent Police Investigative Directorate (IPID), Phaladi Shuping, said the incident happened on July 4, 2018 after three officers arrested the victim for allegedly dealing in drugs.

“Three police officers, including Constable Jerome Coetzee went to a house in the area to search for drugs. They searched the premises and found three packets of drugs and arrested a 18-year-old woman who was in the house,” said Shuping.

Shuping said Constable Coetzee was the one who was driving and he dropped off his two colleagues at the police station, while the victim was in the back.

“He drove to a deserted area where he raped the woman inside the police vehicle. The complainant reported the incident and positively identified Constable Coetzee.

“The incident was reported to IPID for investigations and the police officer was charged and arrested for rape,” said Shuping.

He added that he will be sentenced on November 29, 2024.

In a similar matter, a KwaZulu-Natal police officer arrested on allegations of rape, was released on R5,000 bail by the Pietermaritzburg Magistrate’s Court.

Shuping said the cop was arrested after a 26-year-old woman laid a compliant after she went to the Pietermaritzburg police station to obtain an affidavit.

“She met a police officer who was dressed in full uniform and the officer offered to assist the complainant and asked her to follow him to his office,” Shuping said.

“He asked her to wait in the office and went to fetch an affidavit. He came back, completed the affidavit and then he allegedly made advances on the complainant.

“She rejected his advances and the police officer locked the door, removed his service pistol, placed it on the table and allegedly raped the complainant,” Shuping said.

Shuping said the victim reported the incident to her family and they took her to Mountain Rise Police Station to open a case.

“The incident was reported to IPID and they took over the case for investigation,” he said.

sinenhlanhla.masilela@iol.co.za

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