Eastern Cape man to appear in court for alleged rape of 4-year-old toddler

A 22-year-old man from Willowvale in the Eastern Cape will on Monday appear in the local magistrate's court for allegedly raping a four-year-old girl.

According to police spokesperson Captain Jackson Manatha, the suspect on Thursday allegedly went to the victim's homestead in the village of Nqabara.

"The suspect requested mealies from the victim’s grandmother," said Manatha.

He then allegedly walked to a shack to braai the mealies he had been given.

"The four-year-old toddler went to the same shack where the suspect was. After some time, the grandmother went [there] and found the victim naked and the suspect half naked."

After the victim’s grandmother raised the alarm, the suspect fled the area, but was caught by community members who then handed him over to police.

Butterworth Cluster commander Brigadier Ngangema Xakavu condemned the rape, but applauded residents for not taking the law into their own hands when they chased and caught the suspect.