POLOKWANE - A 47-year-old man was arrested after he allegedly raped an 85-year-old woman in Kgobokwane village in the Dennilton Policing area on Sunday 26 November 2022.

It is alleged that the suspect raped the elderly woman after he forcefully entered her home just after midnight at about 00:30 while she was sleeping alone. The knife wielding suspect, covered with a balaclava allegedly raped the victim and thereafter took a wallet containing undisclosed amount of cash.

Police were called to the scene and they opened a case of rape. During the investigation, a cellphone believed to be the one left behind by the intruder was found on the scene and the victim's cellphone had disappeared.

The suspect was tracked down and arrested at a house in the same village (Kgobokwane) in the early hours of today at about 00:20. During the arrest Police recovered the Cellphones believed to be belonging to the elderly who was raped. It is suspected that the rapist mistakenly took the victim's cellphone when he fled from the scene.

The cellphone found in possession of the suspect will also form part of police investigation.

The Provincial Commissioner of police in Limpopo Lieutenant General Thembi Hadebe has welcomed the arrest and vowed that the law will show no mercy to the perpetrator and that justice should prevail for the victim. The Provincial Commissioner indicated that any perpetrators of GBV and Femicide must be hunted down and be locked up.

“We still urge families and the community to look after the elderly people who are our most vulnerable people in our society to prevent these type of incidents from happening again,” Concluded Lieutenant General Thembi Hadebe

The suspect is expected to appear before the Mdutjhana Magistrate's Court in Siyabuswa tomorrow, Wednesday 07 December 2022 facing a charge of rape.

Police investigations continue.

Source: South African Police Service