Gqeberha police made a major breakthrough in the rape case of a prominent Gauteng businesswoman this week, more than 13 years after the offence had taken place in Summerstrand.
The breakthrough comes just more than a month before Andy Kawa, 60, is expected to testify in the Port Elizabeth High Court, where she is suing the South African Police Service (SAPS) for damages just short of R6 million.
On December 9, 2010, Kawa was allegedly abducted while walking along Kings Beach, held hostage, and gang raped for a period of 15 to 16 hours.
Kawa managed to escape from her abductors the next day.
In 2012, Kawa pointed out her alleged assailants during a protest march along the same beachfront, but the charges against the two men were withdrawn when DNA evidence failed to link the men to the brutal attack.
On Wednesday however, Detective Warrant Officer Thabang Shilajoe from the Family Violence Child Protection and Sexual Offences Unit in Gqeberha arrested a 48-year-old bush dweller who lives in the Summerstrand area for the rape in 2010.
Police spokesperson, Colonel Priscilla Naidu said the suspect was arrested in June 2020 for possession of suspected stolen property for a crime that was committed in the Mount Road policing area.
At that time, a DNA sample was taken from the suspect, as is required in investigations.
"The case was subsequently withdrawn against him and he was released in October 2020.
"In June 2023, his DNA on the possession of suspected stolen property case matched that of the rape case in 2010."
Naidu confirmed that police have been searching for the suspect since then.
"Through excellent networking, the suspect was arrested at about 11:30 on 30/01 while sleeping in a park," said Naidu.
The suspect has been detained in the rape case and will appear in the Gqeberha Magistrates Court on Thursday.
