A Free State community has stoned a police vehicle and looted a tuckshop after the alleged rape of a 4-year-old girl by the owner of the shop.
The mob attack happened in Bohlokong on Monday.
Police spokesperson Brigadier Motantsi Makhele said a 37-year-old man was expected to appear in court in Bethlehem on Thursday in connection with the rape of the girl. He was arrested on Tuesday.
"The victim… was allegedly acting strangely, her mother asked her what had happened, she remained quiet and later confided in her aunt that the suspect had had sexual intercourse with her," Makhele said.
According to reports, the mob attack happened after the child was raped, Makhele said.
Immediately after the man was taken in for questioning, residents demanded that he be handed over to them and pelted the police vehicle with stones.
"It was later discovered that those residents went to the suspect's tuckshop and looted it. Groceries worth thousands of rand were reported to have been stolen from the tuckshop," Makhele said.
Police were investigating a case of malicious damage to state property, business burglary and public violence.
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