Community nabs teen rape suspect

Community members from the Eastern Cape town of Nqgamakhwe arrested an 18-year-old young man for allegedly raping a schoolgirl.

King Williams Town – An 18-year-old man from the Eastern Cape town of Nqgamakhwe has been arrested for allegedly raping a schoolgirl, police said in a statement on Monday.

The 18-year-old learner was on her home from school on Friday, May 13 at about 11:45am at Jekezi Location, Xilinxa Village in Ngqamakhwe.

Police spokesperson Captain Jackson Manatha said the victim saw the suspect coming up behind her and tried to run away.

“The suspect caught the victim and overpowered her. The suspect is alleged to have raped the victim. The suspect was chased and caught by the members of the community”, Manatha said.

The community handed him over to Ngqamakhwe Police.

He appeared in the Ngqamakhwe Magistrate’s court on Monday where the case was remanded for a bail application.

He will remain in police custody until then.

Acting Butterworth Cluster Commander, Colonel Sipho Hokwana, commended the Xilinxa Village community for assisting the police and for not taking the law into their own hands.

African News Agency