Pretoria - Two suspects aged 30 and 40 have been arrested in Phalaborwa for allegedly trying to bribe a community activist to persuade the parents of a 10-year-old child, who was raped, to drop the charges.
“The suspects, both foreign nationals, reportedly tried to bribe the local community activist in Namakgale to influence the parents of a 10-year-old child who was allegedly raped by their fellow Bangladeshi friend, Hossain Akter, to drop the charges,” said Limpopo police spokesperson Brigadier Motlafela Mojapelo.
“The 10-year-old child went to the suspect’s shop in Namakgale on Sunday May 8 at about 11am to buy an airtime voucher. Instead of serving her, the suspect locked the door and raped the child inside. He thereafter let her go.”
Mojapelo said the matter was reported to police, and the rape accused man was arrested on the same day, at his shop.
The Bangladeshi national has appeared in court and his case was postponed to June 20 for further police investigations.
“The [two] suspects allegedly offered to pay the activist an amount of money to use his influence to convince the parents to withdraw the charges against their fellow countryman. After paying a portion of the money, members of the provincial anti-corruption unit immediately pounced on the two suspects and arrested them,” said Mojapelo.
Meanwhile, provincial commissioner of police in Limpopo, Lieutenant General Thembi Hadebe, has welcomed the arrest of the two.
Hadebe has urged community members to continue reporting crime to police, “especially crimes perpetrated against women and children”.
The two suspects will appear in Phalaborwa Magistrate Court on Monday.
IOL