Rape suspect rescued from angry mob in Lehae vigilante attack
Police responded to a complaint of vigilantism and, upon arrival at the scene, found an ambulance surrounded by a group of community members.
A 22-year-old man accused of raping a young woman was rescued by police after an angry crowd allegedly assaulted him during a dramatic vigilante incident in Lehae Phase 3 on Sunday, July 12.
The chaotic scene, captured in a widely circulated video, unfolded in the presence of police officers while the suspect was on the ambulance stretcher bed as community members confronted him.
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“Police responded to a complaint of vigilantism and, upon arrival at the scene, found an ambulance surrounded by a group of community members. The police intervened and safely rescued the suspect, who members of the community had allegedly assaulted after being accused of raping a 22-year-old woman,” said SAPS Johannesburg district corporate communications co-ordinator, Lieutenant Colonel Mpho Tshetlhane.
The suspect, who sustained injuries during the alleged assault, was transported under police guard to a medical facility for treatment.
After receiving medical care, he was formally arrested on a charge of rape. Police confirmed that investigations into both the rape case and the alleged assault on the suspect are continuing.
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The SAPS has urged members of the public not to take the law into their own hands, warning that acts of vigilantism are criminal offences.
Police appealed to communities to allow the criminal justice system to investigate allegations and prosecute suspects through lawful processes.
