Former Senior Superintendent convicted of rape and other charges in Sasolburg, Free State

The Sasolburg Regional Court has on 11 April 2013 found 37 year old Mahlatse Thobakgale guilty of three (3) counts of rape, one (1) count of pointing a firearm and (1) one count of negligent discharge of a firearm. The accused was convicted following a trial that resulted from his arrest by the Independent Police Investigate Directorate (IPID). The accused was a Senior Superintendent based at the Free State Provincial Commissioner’s office when the incident happened.

It is alleged that on 11 February 2010, the accused arrived at Deneysville SAPS Barracks (single quarters) and threatened the victim (aged 32 years at the time), who is a Clerk at the station, with a firearm. It is alleged that the accused forced the victim into his car and drove towards Vereeniging Road and onto an open field. After stopping in an open field, he then instructed the victim to take off her clothes and he raped her twice on top of the car’s bonnet. He raped her again on the pavement, thereafter he took her back to the station and left.

A case docket was registered and the accused was arrested on soon thereafter and detained at Bainsvlei SAPS.

The accused was on trial since 2010 at the Sasolburg Regional Court. The accused will be sentenced on 15 April 2013. He has since been dismissed from the SAPS.

Issued by the Independent Police Investigative Directorate

For enquiries:
IPID National Spokesman
Moses Dlamini
082 809 1927
mdlamini@ipid.gov.za