Man held over rape of baby Tshepang

PRETORIA -- A 23-year-old man has been arrested over the rape and sodomy of nine-month-old baby Tshepang in October last year, police reported yesterday.

The man was arrested at Vredenburg in the Western Cape early yesterday.

"Evidence has been obtained which positively links the suspect to the crime," national police commissioner Jackie Selebi's office said in a statement.

"We will not, at this stage, elaborate on the nature of the evidence as it forms part of the case to be presented in court against the suspect."

The man would be transported from Vredenburg to Upington, where he was expected to appear in court.

Charges against six men initially arrested for the crime were withdrawn due to insufficient evidence in January.

DNA tests showed the child was raped by one person.

Senior Superintendent Rita Crafford of the Northern Cape police said the man arrested yesterday was the only suspect at this stage.

He was apparently visiting family in Louisvale near Upington over the weekend when the baby was assaulted. He has been working in Vredenburg for the past few months.

The child was found raped and sodomised in a house in Louisvale on October 27 last year.

Her 16-year-old mother had allegedly left her in the care of the six original suspects to go shopping.

The baby's grandmother reported the rape to the police when she returned home and found her covered in blood.

The child was named Tshepang, "Have Hope", by hospital staff because her true identity may not be revealed.

The Red Cross Children's Hospital in Cape Town, where baby Tshepang has been treated since December, reported yesterday that she was "doing well".

She underwent the last in a series of reconstructive operations on Wednesday morning, and was expected to be discharged in about 10 days, said hospital spokeswoman Diana Ross.

Northern Cape police commissioner Wally McKaiser and the Police and Prisons Civil Rights Union (Popcru) congratulated those involved in the investigation on their work.

"This case has been emotionally difficult and I am grateful for your hard work and dedication expressed throughout the ordeal," McKaiser said in a statement.

"I always had faith in the investigators and I was convinced an arrest would be made. Well done! You all make me and the entire province proud."

For its part, Popcru praised the investigators as well as members of the public who supported them.

"It is the community of Louisvale, the rest of the Northern Cape and citizens of South Africa that gave the SA Police Service and investigators courage and hope through their prayers and patience."

The union also urged members of the public not to pre-empt the outcome of the investigation. -- Sapa