Police in Port Elizabeth came to the rescue of an alleged rapist, moments before he was going to be set alight by community members.
Spokesperson Captain Andre Beetge says two men were accused of allegedly raping a 10-year-old girl for several hours in Ikamvelihle.
The girl was walking home from school at about 3.30 pm on Thursday when the two men allegedly forced her into their shack where she was allegedly raped until they let her go at 6 pm.
He says an hour later about 200 angry community members arrived on the scene and set the shack on fire.
Police members were summoned to the scene and had to 'race' against the community to find the suspects first.
Beetge says one of the men was found hiding in the Motherwell graveyard shortly before midnight, but his 27-year-old friend was already severely assaulted by the community
.According to police, they were moments away from setting him alight.
The 21-year-old is currently in custody and he will be charged with rape, whilst his friend is being treated in hospital before he too will be charged.
