Gender based violence activists have lauded the conviction of a Lwandle cop who was found guilty of raping a teenage meisie after busting her for drugs.
Constable Jerome Coetzee was convicted at the Wynberg Regional Court, more than six years after the incident where he raped the 18-year-old girl at the back of a police van.
Independent Police Investigative Directorate (Ipid) spokesperson, Phaladi Shuping, says the officer was based at the Lwandle Crime Prevention Unit at the time.
"On 4 July 2018, three police officers, including Constable Jerome Coetzee went to a house in the area to search for drugsm,“ says Shuping.
“They searched the premises and found three packets of drugs and arrested an 18-year-old woman who was in the house.
“Constable Coetzee, who was driving the police vehicle, dropped off his two colleagues at the police station, while the arrested woman was in the back of the vehicle.
“He drove to a deserted area where he raped the woman inside the police vehicle."
Shuping says the girl reported the incident and identified Coetzee as her attacker and the case was probed by Ipid.
Coetzee was found guilty and the case was postponed to 29 November for sentencing.
Caroline Peters of the Callas Foundation says they are horrified and disturbed by the case.
“The role of law enforcement is to protect and serve, yet here we see another tragic case where an officer became the very perpetrator of the crime he was sworn to prevent.
“This incident further underscores the grim reality faced by women in South Africa — we are not safe anywhere, not even in the custody of those who are supposed to uphold the law.
“The conviction of Constable Coetzee sends a clear message that no one, not even those in positions of authority, is above the law,” she adds.
Daily Voice