An independent officer will investigate a formal complaint against Table View Police Station following concerns over the handling of a rape, housebreaking and robbery case.
According to DA MP Nicholas Gotsell a SAPS 101 complaint had been registered after a Table View resident reported that her case was closed just two and a half weeks after she reported the incident.
The woman reported the matter at Table View Police Station on 4 June. She later approached Gotsell after receiving an SMS informing her that the case had been closed.
Gotsell said he raised the matter with the station commander, who ensured that the case was reopened.
The criminal investigation has since been transferred to the Milnerton Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences (FCS) unit.
Independent investigation launched
Gotsell said the police complaint, including concerns about the closure of the case and the alleged treatment of the rape complainant, would now be investigated independently.
“A week ago I lodged a formal complaint against Table View Police Station members who closed a rape case within two and a half weeks, as well as a specific complaint relating to an officer who treated a rape victim with disdain,” Gotsell said.
“I have received formal correspondence saying that this matter will be thoroughly investigated and action will be taken and I will certainly be driving that.”
He said the complainant had already been contacted by the complaint investigator to provide a statement.
Gotsell also commended the woman for coming forward and pursuing the matter.
“I would like to commend the complainant for coming forward, for making sure that this case does not fall between the cracks and that she trusted us to make sure that this matter now progresses to a formal investigation,” he said.
Questions over case closure
The complaint follows questions about how the case was handled after the complainant was informed that it had been closed approximately two and a half weeks after being reported.
Gotsell said the circumstances surrounding the closure were concerning, particularly given the seriousness of the allegations and the forensic evidence reportedly collected.“The concern is what happened in the two and a half weeks when the complainant thought that her matter was receiving the police’s full attention,” he said.
He acknowledged that Table View Police Station faces significant resourcing challenges, but said this should not prevent officers from properly investigating serious crimes or treating victims appropriately.
“Table View Police Station has massive resourcing issues, but that is no reason for ignoring evidence, thoroughly investigating crimes and offering visible policing to the best of their ability,” he said.
FCS unit continues investigation
The rape, housebreaking and robbery investigation is now being handled by the Milnerton FCS unit. Gotsell said the police investigation and the complaint into the handling of the matter were separate but both required proper attention.
He also raised concerns about an interaction between the complainant and a police officer, saying a recording of the conversation showed what he described as a lack of understanding of the trauma experienced by a rape survivor.
“We cannot have rape victims go through another trauma when they have to complain about what has happened to them,” he said.
The independent officer is expected to investigate the complaint against the Table View police, while the FCS unit continues with the criminal investigation.
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