State prosecutor says no to prosecuting Cwecwe case

Police minister Senzo Mchunu says the state prosecutor has declined to prosecute suspects in the case involving a 7-year-old girl referred to as Cwecwe, citing a lack of sufficient evidence.

Mchunu, addressing the media in Pretoria on Friday afternoon, said this information was revealed in a docket from a warrant officer after a medical exam of the minor and a session with the social worker.

The minister said the matter had “elements of complexity” that were proving to be a challenge.

“One of the reasons for saying this is that the matter had first been handled by an investigating officer stationed at the Matatiele police station, then transferred to a brigadier at the provincial office before being assigned to the current investigating officer.

“The docket could have been better prepared. We then realised that we needed to reinforce the team and have a dedicated officer on the matter,” he said.

Mchunu said after the handling of the docket by various officers, a critical aspect that has continued to present a serious challenge is that of DNA.

“DNA testing was done on the victim as per procedure, and the outcome was that no foreign DNA had been found. Three people of interest have since emerged and further DNA testing is under way.

“What has since become clear from all the information was the following: the investigation generally followed the correct processes with challenges present,” he said.

He added that a thorough investigation is now fully under way.

“To the family and the community of Matatiele, please know that we stand with you. We will continue to support this investigation and ensure the rights of the child are fully protected. We will come down to Matatiele in the coming weeks to update the family on progress,” he said.

Mchunu mentioned other cases across the country.

“It is also worth noting that in this past week alone, 259 rape suspects were arrested. The majority of them (95) were made in KZN. We also welcome the arrest of a 58-year-old male teacher on Monday afternoon, March 31, for the alleged rape incident of a 13-year-old female learner in the Capricorn district of Limpopo.

“The teacher has appeared before Mankweng Magistrate’s Court and is facing a charge of rape,” he said.

He also mentioned that a 79-year-old man was arrested on Sunday, March 30, at Cottondale Trust in Acornhoek after allegations that he raped a 14-year-old girl.

“We understand the pain and anger that this incident has caused, not just for the family, but for the entire nation.

“However, I must stress that due to the sensitive nature of this case and the legal processes involved, we cannot disclose further details at this stage,” Mchunu said.

“What I can promise, on behalf of the ministry of police and the SAPS, is that we are committed to upholding the law and ensuring that justice is served.”

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