Mamelodi lesbian jail rape claim is ‘fake news’, says Police

The SA Police Service has denied a story that’s gone viral claiming that a lesbian woman was gang raped in a jail cell in Mamelodi, Gauteng and later died.

The story appears to have first been shared by Tshepo Dot Mosima on Facebook.

“It is heard that: a lesbian girl was arrested for public drinking yesterday at Mamelodi and the cops locked her in one cell with 19 guys she was raped from last night till now imagine,” he wrote on his timeline.

He later added: “Latest report from a close source is that the woman died in hospital an hour ago…”

Mosima, who is apparently a presenter on Alex FM, said he had also referenced the story on air during his show. He, however, did not reveal any further information, such as the victim’s identity or the original source of the claim.

The story quickly gained traction on social media with hundreds sharing the post or posting their own versions of it and expressing their horror and outrage at the woman’s ordeal. The police were also slammed over the claim.

Thus far, however, few facts have come to light to support the allegations, which the police are denying ever actually happened.

“It is totally fake news,” Brigadier Mathapelo Peters, SAPS Corporate Communication: Gauteng, told Mambaonline on Tuesday morning. “There was nothing like that.”

She said the national office would be releasing a formal statement shortly about the issue. Peters added that the police could be taking action against the individual or individuals who initiated the story.

“We could be going as far as pursuing the person who started this in the first place and we might have to press criminal charges against them,” she said.

DA MP Zakhele Mbhele also tweeted that he had contacted the Gauteng Acting Provincial Commissioner to get more information and that “she’s reported to me that the reports are not true”.

Mosima has since deleted the post about the alleged incident from his timeline. We have been unable to contact Mosima or Alex FM for comment.

If you have any information about this matter, please email us on info@mambaonline.com.

Update: The SAPS has issued the following statement

The South African Police Service has noted with concern various social media posts perpetuating false information.

The current social media post going viral alleges that a woman arrested for public drinking was gang raped at a Mamelodi police station and subsequently passed away. This is completely untrue and the incident did not take place. The false and reckless allegations are rejected.

The post is regarded as very irresponsible and insensitive towards both the police and the communities we serve. It undermines the trust of the community in the police. We are urgently looking into this social media post to get to the source. The incident is viewed in a very serious light and the police will consider legal action on this matter.

Members of the community are encouraged to use social media platforms responsibly and sensibly when posting. It is important to realise that a communication of this nature is instantaneously spread to other persons. Users of social media must carefully consider the truthfulness of information before they decide to share it with other social media users.

*According to South African law, it does not require a person to be the originator of the content of a communication to be held liable. The repeating or sharing a post is sufficient.*

A person may be equally liable for another person’s posts where that person knows that they have been tagged in the other person’s post and allows their name to be used, and fails to take steps to disassociate or distance themselves from that post.

 

1 – Regarding the story doing the rounds about the lesbian woman alleged to have been arrested for public drinking and put in a cell at Mamelodi SAPS station with 19 men and gang-raped, I’ve contacted the Gauteng Acting Provincial Commissioner to get more information (cont)

— Zakhele Mbhele (@zakhelembhele) April 10, 2018