South Africa: Policeman Arrested for Rape in Church Cleansing Ritual

A Limpopo policeman has appeared in the Seshego Magistrate's Court, South Africa, on charges of rape and corruption, the Independent Police Investigative Directorate (Ipid) said.

Sergeant Amos Mosinyane, 43, is believed to also be a pastor in the Zion Christian Church.

"It is alleged that the suspect ordered the victim to undress and to have sexual intercourse with him as this was allegedly part of the church ritual needed to cleanse the victim of bad luck," spokesman Moses Dlamini said in a statement.

"The victim alleges that the suspect forced himself on her."

Dlamini said the man then allegedly offered his commander a bribe of R3000 (£166) after he had found out about the alleged rape.

"It is also alleged that the suspect offered the victim R50,000 (£2,771) to withdraw the case," Dlamini continued.

Dlamini said the unit was investigating allegations that other police officers were paid off by the man not to report the rape to Ipid.

"He was granted bail of R2000 (£110) and the case was postponed to 14 April 2014," said Dlamini.

The alleged rape took place on the evening of February 1, when a 26-year-old woman came to Mosinyane's residence seeking counselling.

A Johannesburg metro police officer was also arrested for raping a woman in Protea Glen, Soweto, on Wednesday 19 February.

Last December, a total of 82 people accused of rape were arrested in Limpopo over a period of three weeks.

The accused were caught during the 16 Days of Activism campaign that began on November 25.

Limpopo provincial commissioner Lieutenant General Fannie Masemola said the arrests were a clear indication that police were making the province safer for children and women.

According to University of the Western Cape's School of Public Health and the Sonke Gender Justice Network, about 40% of all rape victims in South Africa are children.

At least four men were charged with the rape and murder of two toddlers, aged two and three, in the South African township of Diepsloot, north of Johannesburg, last November.

According to Sonke, there are an estimated 1.5 million rapes in South Africa a year and 15% involve children under 11.