On Sunday, 8 March 2020, the Commander of the Elliot FCS (Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences) Unit, Captain Mxolisi Gwarube managed to arrest a 21 year old suspect for kidnapping and rape.
It all started after the suspect, a taxi driver, showed interest in the 16-year-old victim and she innocently gave her telephone number to him during February when they met in town.
On Monday, 2 March 2020 he called her to meet him in town as she went to him he invited her into the taxi with his friends as they were sitting and drinking. They offered her some liquor but she refused where after they started to drive around with the taxi and refused to let her out. It is alleged that she was then taken to Lindile locality in Umtata, locked in a house for two days and repeatedly raped.
By Wednesday, 4 March 2020, an unknown lady opened the house and enquired about her being there, she gave her R50 and told her to go home. On her arrival she immediately went to report the incident to the SAPS just to find that her parents and teacher were already concerned.
It is then that Captain Gwarube interviewed and obtained a detailed statement from her, what made the investigation difficult was that Umtata was not familiar to her.
Due to the Captain’s excellent investigation skills he managed to arrest the taxi driver on Sunday 8 March 2020, and he will appear in the Elliot district Court.
The Cluster Commander, Colonel Matshediso Gezani commended Captain Gwarube on the swift reaction and sacrifice he made in order to arrest the suspect as soon as possible.
South Africa Today – South Africa News
