Three men and a woman have been arrested for trafficking in persons, rape and attempted murder after a 26-year-old victim escaped from a torturous captivity.
The Free State multi-disciplinary team led by the Bloemfontein-based Hawks’ Serious Organised Crime Investigation unit, the K9 unit, Crime Intelligence and the Police Emergency Services arrested three suspects aged between 29 and 59.
Rian Mulder (56), former policeman Raoul Hartman (59) and Alicha Britz (29) appeared in the Bloemfontein Magistrates’ Court on 1 July.
Hartman is a former WO who was attached to the Hawks’ Serious Organised Crime Investigation unit in Bloemfontein until 2019, when he retired.
The fourth suspect linked to the trafficking in persons allegations, Francois Steve van der Merwe (34) appeared in the Bloemfontein Magistrates’ Court on 2 July on charges of trafficking in persons, rape and attempted murder.
He is remanded in custody, will reappear on Tuesday, 8 July, with the other three, for formal bail application.
The 26-year-old victim alleges that, during July 2022, she saw an advertisement on Facebook for a job as a bar tender at a certain gentleman’s club in Ferreira, Bloemfontein.
She started talking to the club owner, who made arrangements for the victim to be transported from Ventersburg. A few days later, the club owner and a driver brought her to Bloemfontein.
Upon arrival, she was taken to the house of one of the accused persons where she claims to have been drugged, sexually assaulted, and repeatedly raped by a group of males. The victim further alleges that one of the suspects was taking pictures during the ordeal.
She managed to escape through the bathroom window and sought assistance. The case was reported at a nearby police station and later transferred to the Hawks.
Mulder and Hartman were released on R3 000 bail each. Britz remains in custody. A fourth suspect, aged 34, has been arrested by the Secunda Serious Organised Crime Investigation (Soci) unit, and will appear in court in Bloemfontein.
The Free State head of the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (Hawks), Maj. Gen. Mokgadi Bokaba, has applauded the investigators for pursuing justice, regardless of who was involved in the crime.
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