A COMMUNITY outreach programme in Greenpoint took a shocking turn when police officers came across a young woman suffering from severe facial injuries, prompting a swift response that ended with the arrest of a 32-year-old suspect this week.

Northern Cape police spokesperson Sergeant Timothy Sam said that the incident unfolded on March 21, when the multidisciplinary Operation Vala Umgodi team - normally focused on tackling illegal mining and related crimes - was conducting a community activation in the area.

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While engaging with residents, officers were alerted to a 26-year-old woman hiding at her grandparents’ home, visibly bruised and in immense pain. Her injuries were so severe that she was unable to speak properly due to damage to her jaw.

The police assisted her in opening a criminal case that same day and the case was escalated as a matter of urgency, and specialised police units sprang into action to track the alleged perpetrator.

Their efforts paid off the following day, March 22, when the suspect was located and taken into custody.

Sergeant Sam said he now faces charges of attempted murder and domestic violence related to an incident on March 15 and is expected to appear in the Kimberley Magistrate’s Court soon.

The provincial commissioner of the Northern Cape, Lieutenant-General Koliswa Otola, praised the swift action of the Operation Vala Umgodi team, emphasising the importance of delivering justice to victims of gender-based violence and ensuring that such cases are treated with the seriousness they deserve.

- DFA

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