Top South African police officer charged with raping woman, 18, and grooming 16-year-old girl

One of South Africa’s most senior police officers has been charged with raping an 18-year-old woman and grooming a 16-year-old girl, as the country’s police face allegations of corruption and failing to tackle violence against women and girls.

Shadrack Sibiya, who was already suspended from his role as deputy national police commissioner over allegations he interfered with political killings investigations, was arrested on Monday. He is facing charges of rape, people trafficking, promoting the sexual grooming of a child and two counts of grooming a child.

Sibiya appeared briefly in a Johannesburg court on Tuesday. He was then taken to prison in the capital, Pretoria, before a bail hearing on 29 September, as prosecutors had argued he was an escape risk.

South Africa is reeling from the discovery of nine women’s bodies across Ekurhuleni, the municipality east of Johannesburg, this month. Meanwhile, the Madlanga Commission judicial inquiry has been examining allegations of corruption and criminality within the police for the last year.

Puleng Dimpane, the acting national police commissioner, said: “Police officers are entrusted with protecting women and children. They cannot themselves be implicated in conduct that undermines this responsibility. As the country continues to confront the scourge of gender-based violence and femicide, there can be no room for anyone within the police service who is alleged to abuse their position or violate the rights of women and children.”

Sibiya is accused of raping an 18-year-old woman at a hotel in May in the Sandton business district of Johannesburg. The alleged rape took place “whilst she was passed out due to intoxication administered by the accused”, according to a copy of the charge sheet.

The alleged grooming of the 16-year-old girl took place over WhatsApp between 20 July and 3 August, according to the charge sheet. This allegedly included Sibiya sending the girl naked photos of herself, which she had not sent to him.

Sibiya did not enter a plea at the hearing on Tuesday. His lawyer told the court that they needed more time to consult with and get instructions from him, according to the local news outlet News24.

Firoz Cachalia, the acting police minister, said: “We strongly condemn the alleged conduct.

“Where allegations of sexual offences are made against a member of the service, they must be investigated without fear or favour.”

When Sibiya appeared before the Madlanga Commission in February he denied allegations that he had moved 121 political killings investigations from KwaZulu-Natal province to the national head office without explanation.

Sibiya also denied that he had received a gift of 20 impalas from Vusimuzi ‘Cat’ Matlala, a businessman who received an allegedly fraudulent 360m rand (£16.6m) police health services contract soon after the alleged gift.

Matlala, who has been charged with attempted murder, alongside several other charges including fraud and money laundering, declined to comment on the impalas when he appeared at the Madlanga Commission in August. He said he did not want to incriminate himself as the matter was under investigation.