Cop in court after alleged rape of five underage girls

A POLICEMAN accused of raping five underage girls appeared in the Motherwell Magistrate’s Court in Port Elizabeth yesterday.

The 47-year-old warrant officer allegedly raped the girls after buying them alcohol and taking them to the beach.

The case against the Port of Ngqura-based policeman was postponed to January 4 for a formal bail application.

He will remain in custody until then.

National Prosecuting Authority regional spokesman Tshepo Ndwalaza said: “According to information, there were five girls on the day of the [alleged] incident, but, at the moment, only three of these young girls are confirmed to have been raped. “The investigation is continuing.” The suspect was arrested by the Independent Police Investigating Directorate (Ipid) on Monday.

Ipid spokesman Moses Dlamini said: “The [alleged] incident happened in Port Elizabeth, where the suspect allegedly met [the girls] at a car wash and made arrangements through WhatsApp with one of the victims that he would take them out to the beach the following day.

“He allegedly met them at [a petrol station] and bought alcohol and food for them.

“He later took them to the beach in a secluded area and [allegedly] raped them after they had consumed alcohol,” he said.