One of South Africa’s most senior police officers has been charged with raping an ۱۸-year-old woman and grooming a ۱۶-year-old girl, as the country’s police face allegations of corruption and failing to tackle violence against women and girls.
Shadrack Sibiya, who was already suspended from his role as deputy national police commissioner over allegations he interfered with political killings investigations, was arrested on Monday. He is facing charges of rape, people trafficking, promoting the sexual grooming of a child and two counts of grooming a child.
Sibiya appeared briefly in a Johannesburg court on Tuesday. He was then taken to prison in the capital, Pretoria, before a bail hearing on ۲۹ September, as prosecutors had argued he was an escape risk.
South Africa is reeling after the discovery of nine women’s bodies across Ekurhuleni, the municipality east of Johannesburg, in September. Meanwhile, the Madlanga Commission judicial inquiry has been examining allegations of corruption and criminality within the police for the last year.
Puleng Dimpane, the acting national police commissioner, said: “Police officers are entrusted with protecting women and children. They cannot themselves be implicated in conduct that undermines this responsibility. As the country continues to confront the scourge of gender-based violence and femicide, there can be no room for anyone within the police service who is alleged to abuse their position or violate the rights of women and children.”
Sibiya is accused of raping an ۱۸-year-old woman at a hotel in May in the Sandton business district of Johannesburg. The alleged rape took place “whilst she was passed out due to intoxication administered by the accused”, according to a copy of the charge sheet.
The alleged grooming of the ۱۶-year-old girl took place over WhatsApp between ۲۰ July and ۳ August, according to the charge sheet. This allegedly included Sibiya sending the girl naked photos of herself, which she had not sent to him.
Sibiya did not enter a plea at the hearing on Tuesday. His lawyer told the court that they needed more time to consult with and get instructions from him, according to News۲۴.
Firoz Cachalia, the acting police minister, said: “We strongly condemn the alleged conduct.
“Where allegations of sexual offences are made against a member of the service, they must be investigated without fear or favour.”
When Sibiya appeared before the Madlanga Commission in February he denied allegations that he had moved ۱۲۱ political killings investigations from KwaZulu-Natal province to the national head office without explanation.
Sibiya also denied that he had received a gift of ۲۰ impalas from Vusimuzi ‘Cat’ Matlala, a businessman who received an allegedly fraudulent ۳۶۰m rand (£۱۶.۷m) police health services contract soon after the alleged gift.
Matlala, who has been charged with attempted murder, alongside several other charges including fraud and money laundering, declined to comment on the impalas when he appeared at the Madlanga Commission in August. He said he did not want to incriminate himself as the matter was under investigation.
