Rape-accused cop also up on corruption rap

The Limpopo police officer arrested for allegedly raping a woman in custody is being investigated for corruption.

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Johannesburg - The Limpopo police officer arrested for allegedly raping a woman in custody is being investigated for corruption.

It emerged on Thursday in the Seshego Magistrate’s Court that Warrant Officer Paul Matlou, 51, was being probed in a separate case for allegedly helping detainees escape from custody.

Independent Police Investigative Directorate (Ipid) official Ntombi Gibson told the court that the corruption case was waiting for the Director of Public Prosecutions to determine whether to prosecute.

Gibson also told the court that Ipid had reconstructed another rape case against Matlou.

The second alleged rape incident happened in 2011, while the victim was in police custody. At the time, the woman was 19 and had been detained for housebreaking and common assault.

She has since given birth to a baby boy, fathered by Matlou after the alleged rape. The police never brought that case to Ipid for investigation, as was expected, said Gibson. Instead, she said, Matlou’s colleague and a prosecutor mediated and that had led to the controversial withdrawal of the case.

Gibson said the investigation was shoddy and that Matlou was never charged for the alleged rape.

Matlou appeared on Thursday for a bail application in a separate rape case. He was arrested on Monday for allegedly raping a 22-year-old woman in custody a day before.

The woman was being held for alleged child neglect. Gibson told the court that Matlou used a similar modus operandi to the one he’d used in 2011. She said he took the woman from the holding cells to a small office and raped her.

In opposing, she said Matlou was likely to interfere with State witnesses. Gibson said that while Matlou was in custody, his brother had told the 22-year-old woman to drop the charges in return for R20 000 compensation.

(His brother) said she must co-operate with them because they know where she stays.”

She said the State had a strong case against him.

However, Matlou said in the affidavit that the case against him was weak and he intended to plead not guilty.

But defence lawyer Mahlatse Mokoape poked holes in Gibson’s testimony.

He argued that Matlou had no pending cases against him and that there were no indictments against his client regarding corruption and the other rape case.

Magistrate Tumisho Tladi agreed with Mokoape and ruled that his client be released on R5 000 bail.

The case was postponed for further investigation.

moloko.moloto@inl.co.za

The Star