Everson Luhanga
The hunt for the suspects who robbed a film crew and gang-raped its cast of models in Krugersdorp last week is still on.
No one has been arrested in connection with the heinous crime that saw young women, including a 19-year-old, being raped by eight men.
The models were shooting a music video at an abandoned mine when they were ambushed by a gang of armed men dressed in Basotho traditional blankets and balaclavas.
The men stormed the crew, robbing them of items worth R1.5 million, and repeatedly raped eight of the 12 young models.
Over the weekend, police reported that they had arrested 84 suspects in West Village, Krugersdorp in response to the crime. All the suspects appeared in the Roodepoort Magistrate’s Court on Monday.
The country waited in anticipation to hear if any of those arrested were connected to the crime.
But Police Commissioner General Fannie Masemola confirmed on Monday that none of the suspects have been directly linked to the robbery and rape.
The men have only been charged with illegal mining and being in the country illegally.
Masemola said they are still investigating and some of the accused could eventually be linked to the crime.
“We are working on the investigation to see if some of those will be linked. The investigation will reveal whether they are linked or not.”
The arrests brought some relief to the families of the victims and the nation at large to see the wheels of justice rolling.
On Friday, Police Minister Bheki Cele, who visited the victims and their families, told the media that the authorities were still processing DNA results which would be available soon.
Image source:SAPS
