AN alleged rapist who was caught by police while asleep in his victim’s home after perpetrating his crime is expected to appear in the Odendaalrus Magistrate’s Court today.
Free State police management said the 35-year-old suspect allegedly raped a 62-year-old woman on Christmas Day.
According to the provincial police spokesperson Captain Stephen Thakeng at about 10.15pm, the victim was asleep when she was woken by a knock on her door.
“The next moment she was awoken by a male voice that instructed her to undress, she was assaulted, strangled and raped. After the rape ordeal the suspect fell asleep. The victim managed to escape through the open window to seek help from her neighbours,” Thakeng said.
Members attached to the Odendaalrus police station responded immediately to the scene and the suspect was found fast asleep.
The 35-year-old man was woken up by officers who arrested him for housebreaking with the intention to rape.
“The suspect will appear on December 28 (today) in Odendaalsrus Magistrate’s Court.
“A reasonable nation will stand up to ensure that their elderly people are safe, protected and well cared for not to be raped by these youngsters,” Thakeng added.
In an unrelated incident in the Western Cape, members of the Athlone police arrested two notorious gang members during the early hours of Christmas morning.
Officers were responding to information about a shooting incident which occurred earlier and managed to trace the location of the suspects.
Officers managed to arrest the two gang members, aged 21 and 25 after the suspects dropped an object through a window in full view of the officers.
The object discarded was a firearm.
The gang members face charges of possession of an unlicensed firearm and ammunition.
IOL