At least seven men were arrested in the Far North area during the past week on charges of rape. In one case, five men, whose ages range between 18 and 34, were arrested on Monday and charged with the rape of a mental patient.

The incident took place at a village near Malamulele Township on Sunday night. The name of the village cannot be mentioned for protection of the victim. According to the police spokesperson in the Mopani Area, Capt Moatshe Ngoepe, the victim's parents were not at home when the incident took place. The statement indicates that the suspects realised that the victim was alone at home as they were passing by.

The victim is a 14-year-old girl who is reportedly a mental patient. The statement further indicates that the suspects went into the victim's home and grabbed her. They allegedly took her to the nearby bushes. That is where they allegedly raped her one after the other. They released her later in the night.

At that stage, her parents were back at home and were desperately searching for her. On arrival at home, the girl told her parents how the five men had allegedly grabbed her and pulled her into the bushes, where she was brutally raped. The victim managed to identify some of the suspects. The matter was reported to the police shortly after the incident.

The suspects were arrested at different places on Monday morning.

In another case, the police at Tshitale have arrested the 40-year-old member of the South African National Defence Force, based in the 15 SAI battalion, after he had allegedly raped a domestic worker (21) at Masakona Village last Tuesday.

According to Insp Thivhulawi Tshilate, the wife of the suspect went to work early in the morning and left her husband at home. It is further alleged that, when the maid entered her employer's room with some tea, the suspect woke up and proposed sex to her, which she refused.

The suspect allegedly grabbed the victim, undressed and raped her.

She then reported the matter to the police and the soldier was arrested. He will appear in court soon.

Meanwhile, the police at Tshaulu have arrested a 27-year-old man for raping his 26-year-old wife at Tshaulu Village. Tshilate said the suspect arrived at the victim's home and forced her to have sexual intercourse with him. The victim reported the matter to the police and the suspect was arrested at his home on Sunday. He will appear in court soon.