Staff Reporter
A 34-year-old man arrested on New Year’s Eve for the alleged rape of a 92-year-old woman in Kestell has been found hanging in police cells.
The man, who is from Tlholong near Kestell, was found dead in a cell yesterday during a routine check at about 11am.
He was expected to make his first court appearance on Monday.
“The police at Kestell, during their routine hourly visits, came across a body of this . . . suspect who was found hanging in the police holding cells,” read part of a police statement.
An inquest into the death has been opened and the matter has also been reported to the Independent Police Investigative Directorate to probe the circumstances under which the suspect died.
No foul play is suspected at this point.
The man is believed to have robbed and raped the elderly woman in her house after gaining entry through a window.
It is alleged that on Thursday at about 2345 hours, the elderly woman was asleep alone in her bedroom when she heard a window pane of her bedroom breaking.
Her bedroom lights were still on when she fell asleep.
This allowed her to notice that the suspect was actually her neighbour.
Police say the suspect allegedly threatened the victim with a knife and raped her.
“After that he robbed the victim of her TV set which was in the bedroom. He used the same broken window pane to exit the house with the TV set and blanket,” said the police.
The woman then reported the matter to the police at about 0615 hours the following day and the suspect was arrested shortly thereafter.
The stolen items were recovered at the suspect’s place.