A 32-year-old Mpumalanga man arrested in connection with rape of a 52-year-old woman living with disability has been remanded in custody. 

The suspect, who cannot be named until he has pleaded, was arrested on April 19, after forcefully entering the victim’s house at Cottondale trust in Bushbuckridge. He is alleged to have raped the woman and fell asleep next to her for the rest of the night. 

The suspect was not asked to plead on a rape charge when he appeared in the Acornhoek magistrate's court on Monday and his bail application was postponed to June 17. 

Mpumalanga police spokesperson Brigadier Leonard Hlathi told Sowetan that the accused on the day of the ordeal was found by the victim's brother still fast asleep in bed.

“Information is that the suspect forced entry into the house of the victim, threatened to harm her if she screamed. He raped her and fell asleep next to her. The victim managed to crawl to call her brother who came and found the suspect still asleep.

After he noticed that he was cornered the suspect fled however he was known which led to his arrest on April 22,” said Hlathi. 

Hlathi said the police are going to oppose bail. 

“We would like to appreciate the police who acted swiftly in arresting the suspect.  Since the country is under siege of woman and children abuse, this man must pay for the crime he committed hence we will oppose his bail.”