A 30-year-old police officer has been suspended from duty and remanded in custody after being accused of raping and robbing his 24-year-old female colleague last Monday night.
Constable Dikelelo allegedly attacked the officer at her house after she finished her night duty shift.
The victim had earlier met the suspect and his girlfriend, before parting ways with them when going to work at 2 pm.
Upon arriving home at around 10:30 pm, she was reportedly attacked by the suspect, who was wearing a mask to conceal his face and armed with a knife and a pistol.
The assailant allegedly locked the woman inside her house, tied, and raped her.
Subsequently, he directed her to an ATM, forcing her to withdraw P3000 in cash, and then escorted her back to her house, where he reportedly raped her again.
The suspect allegedly stole the victim’s Huawei Y7 cellphone before fleeing the scene.
Although Constable Dikelelo attempted to disguise his voice during the crime, the victim recognized him.
After reporting the incident to her colleagues, the suspect was followed to his residence and arrested on Tuesday morning.
Stolen cash, the cellphone, and the weapons used were allegedly recovered at Dikelelo’s place.
Botswana Police Service Deputy Public Relations Officer, Senior Superintendent Near Bagali, confirmed that they were investigating the robbery and rape incidents. “Rape on its own is a very serious offence. A decision has been made for the police officer to be suspended from duty until the disposal of the case. In addition, he has been remanded in custody, and he will appear for mention on Thursday (November 23rd, 2023). The suspension and remand were meant to pave the way for investigations without the suspect’s interference,” Bagali stated.
