'SA soldiers ambushed, raped Zimbabwe immigrants'

'SA soldiers ambushed, raped Zimbabwe immigrants'

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By Riot Hlatshwayo

MUSINA - Undercover investigators have arrested an army captain and four soldiers in Limpopo for apparently systematically ambushing, stripping, and robbing illegal Zimbabwean immigrants.

The soldiers also allegedly raped a number of Zimbabwean women before making them swim the crocodile-infested Limpopo River back to Zimbabwe.

Captain Fannie Molapo, leader of the police task team, said on Monday: "The claims are shocking, especially because the people involved are supposed to be protecting the public.

"We conducted a three-month undercover investigation and have arrested the first five soldiers on theft-related charges after finding a container full of loot allegedly stolen from Zimbabweans.

"Additional charges and arrests might follow as we collect further evidence."

The soldiers and their commanding officer were all arrested at Madimbo military base on the Zimbabwean border on Sunday.

The men cannot be named until they appear in court later this week.

Molapo said: "It appears they routinely apprehended illegal Zimbabweans trying to return home with goods they'd bought in South Africa.

"The soldiers stripped the Zimbabweans of all their valuables, and then handed them over to police to be deported.

"They failed, however, to hand over any of the confiscated goods."

Undercover investigators recovered some of the contraband from a storage container in the army's Madimbo camp.

It included five new bicycles and 60 cartons of cigarettes.

"The Zimbabweans who complained to us mentioned bicycles and cigarettes.

"We are still probing claims by some Zimbabweans that they were raped by soldiers and then made to swim across the Limpopo River," said Molapo.

The river is notorious for crocodile attacks, with bodies of suspected 'fence-jumpers' routinely being recovered from the South African side of the river.

"We will not hesitate to arrest anyone implicated in rapes or any other kind of human-rights abuses in this matter," said Molapo.

Sam Mkhwanazi of the SANDF confirmed on Monday the military was aware of the arrests and was monitoring the case closely.

"We cannot comment without prejudicing the case. The SANDF is, however, happy for the law to follow its course."

It is unclear whether the soldiers have been taken off active duty, or whether they will face a court martial for violating military regulations.
News 24
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