Pretoria - Three Limpopo men were arrested on Sunday after a woman was gang raped at Phagameng location in Modimolle.
According to Limpopo police spokesperson Colonel Malesela Ledwaba, it is alleged that the 35 year-old woman was with her boyfriend coming from a local tavern when they came across five men, one known to the couple.
Ledwaba said the man known to the couple invited them to his house for further entertainment.
“Upon arrival, the suspects threatened the boyfriend while the others dragged the woman to the bedroom and took turns in raping her.
“However, the boyfriend managed to escape and alerted the police about the incident and they rushed to the scene.”
The police found that the suspects had already fled and the victim said that all five suspects took turns in raping her, said Ledwaba.
He added that three of the suspects were arrested shortly after the incident, with assistance from the community.
Two more are being sought.
The three, aged between 27 and 36, will appear before the Modimolle Magistrate’s Court today.
Limpopo acting police commissioner Major-General Jan Scheepers said the police should “leave no stone unturned in tracking down all the perpetrators”.
Meanwhile, a suspect accused of allegedly assaulting a nurse at Relela clinic in Kgapane, outside Tzaneen, has pleaded guilty to the assault.
Promise Bopepe, 30, was denied bail and remanded in custody when he appeared before the Kgapane Magistrate’s Court yesterday.
The case was postponed to May 2.
Bopepe, who was also a patient at the clinic, is alleged to have stormed the consultation room where the nurse was busy assisting another patient and demanded to be assisted.
“The nurse requested the patient to queue like any other person, but the patient insisted, and the altercation ensued. The patient allegedly assaulted the nurse, who was taken to Van Velden Hospital, and she is in a stable condition,” said Ledwaba.
Limpopo Health MEC Dr Phophi Ramathuba welcomed the court’s decision.
“We are happy the court has denied the accused bail. We believe this will serve as a deterrent to those who still think of attacking our health-care professionals. Our gratitude goes to the health-care professionals who attended the court case in support of our assaulted nurse.”
This is the second incident involving a nurse in a week. Last week, the department condemned the kidnapping, robbery and rape of a newly- appointed professional nurse at the Madumane Clinic in Greater Tzaneen.
According to department spokesperson Thilivhali Muavha, the nurse was travelling in a taxi from her home to the clinic just after dusk when she was accosted and raped.
Pretoria News