SowetanLive reports that a 45-year-old police sergeant has appeared in court in connection with the rape of a trainee at the Tshwane Police Academy.

The accused allegedly raped the 25-year-old woman on 16 July where he works as an instructor. He was arrested on 19 July and his case has been postponed to this week. National police spokesperson Col Athlenda Mathe said the SA Police Service had instituted an internal disciplinary process. “The management of the SAPS has condemned the incident and is currently providing the trainee with psychosocial services and other necessary support,” she advised. The current training intake commenced in April and will run until December. The trainees will thereafter be placed at different police stations. The victim said she was still in disbelief and asked not to relive the horror. She said she chose to be a police officer because she hoped to help deal with the scourge of gender-based violence in the country. “Never in a million years did I ever think that I would fall victim to what I wanted to fight against. I am dealing with this trauma day by day but it is not easy,” she said. Police and Prisons Civil Rights Union spokesperson Richard Mamabolo said they took such matters seriously and they would want to see the matter properly investigated, bringing the perpetrator to book.

• Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Amanda Maliba at SowetanLive

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