Eastern Cape: Two young girls, aged five (5) and six (6) were reported missing by their parents yesterday evening after they did not return home by 18:00. They were last seen playing in an open field in the Chris Hani informal area in New Brighton.
SAPS immediately responded by searching for the girls at known friends and family in the area, and by 23:00 the search was scaled up by utilising more police members, the SAPS K9 unit as well as the SAPS helicopter with search light. The search was conducted by foot patrols and searching from house to house in the area. Police made a breakthrough when the first girl of six (6) was found by police behind the Chevrolet Stadion just after midnight.
The girl was found severely assaulted with stab wounds on her head and body and was rushed to Dora Nginza Hospital. The girl managed to give some information which led police to clamp down on a shack dwelling in Chris Hani, where the 5-year-old girl was found with a 49-year-old suspect at 04:45. Medical examinations confirmed that both girls were raped. The 49-year-old suspect was arrested and will be charged for abduction, attempted murder and rape, and will appear before the New Brighton Magistrates Court on Tuesday 26 September.
The Motherwell Cluster Commander, Major General Dawie Rabie expressed grattitude towards all the SAPS members who worked around the clock through the night in the search. “Both girls were found and rescued from a very grim fate. SAPS will leave no stone unturned in this case and will make sure that this case receives priority and expert attention,” he added.
Police are also making an appeal to the New Brighton community to let the Law take its course and not to take the law into their own hands. This follows after angry residents destroyed the shack belonging to the suspect shortly after the rescue and arrest was made.