88-year-old tortured, attacked and robbed inside his home by female suspect
The 88-year-old victim. supplied image
Police are hunting for a female robber who allegedly tortured and attacked an 88-year-old man inside his home in Salt River.
The man, who asked not to be identified, is lucky to be alive after he was stabbed in the leg and threatened with being burnt with a lighter and a can of Doom.
It is believed the female attacker had intended to strangle the man after the cord of kettle was brought into his bedroom and at one stage she wanted to force him to drink a handful of medication, but be refused.
A shocked neighbour responded to his cries for help after the woman fled the scene.
The suspect’s break-in was caught on CCTV and she exited the building between 2am and 4.30am.
Community activists and DA city councillor Sumaya Taliep and neighbours are outraged by the attack, saying it was not the first incident where an older person was violated and assaulted in their community.
The man has been living alone for the past two years following the death of his wife. The couple had been married for 56 years and had no children.
A neighbour who is currently looking after the elderly man said he woke to the desperate call from the man around 4.30am.
He had found the man in his home covered in blood.
“CCTV footage shows the woman entering the house through the front window and leaving via the front door. For two hours, she tortured him. He was not aware she was inside the house until he had wanted to use the toilet and heard someone in the house.
“At that time she had already ransacked parts of the house and placed the goods in the passage. He was ill with the flu and was medicated and she had begun clearing out his room.”
The neighbour said the frightened man was then tortured for two hours by the woman, who demanded money and stabbed him.
“She kept torturing him and beat him each time she asked him for money,” he said. “She stabbed him in the leg. At one stage she wanted to force him to drink a handful of tablets and he refused.
“She also came into the room with the cord of a kettle and said if he didn’t comply with her there was someone else waiting for him. She was going to strangle him with that cord. He put up a fight though weak.”
The neighbour said the old man had recognised the woman who had asked him for sugar and tea in the past.
Taliep said she visited the wounded man and is concerned about his well-being.
“The woman knew he was vulnerable and must have made his acquaintance before,” she said.
“We respect his dignity and we understand he wants independence. I have been in contact with the station commander and I will continue to visit and see how he is doing.
“This is the second incident we are dealing with. A woman in her Sixties was assaulted by a worker at an old-age home and the case is being heard at the Cape Town Regional Court.
“If you suspect that an older person has been, or is being, abused, you can help by reporting it to the authorities.”
Taliep added that any person who abuses an older person is guilty of an offence.
Activist and chairperson of the National Freedom Party, Youssef Kanouni, said they were concerned about attacks on the elderly.
“As citizen, we are calling for more visible policing as we have a lot of elderly people living in our community,” he said. “What has happened is very disturbing and the old man was very shaken by the incident.”
Police spokesperson, Sergeant Wesley Twigg said police have yet to arrest the suspect.
“According to reports the victim was asleep when he woke up when he heard someone in the house. The female suspect fled the scene with some of the victim's property and is yet to be arrested.
Anyone with any information about this incident can contact Crime Stop on 08600 10111.
To report abuse in your area, contact your district's Social Development and Early Childhood Development office. You can also contact the Metropolitan Police Services directly by phoning their hotline on 0800 323 1310.
* For more information on abuse of the elderly, e-mail [email protected].