Former Hawks officer among suspects arrested for trafficking in persons

Three suspects, including a former police officer appeared in the Bloemfontein Magistrate’s Court in the Free State on charges of trafficking in persons, rape, and attempted murder. 

The three suspects, Alicia Britz, 29, Rian Mulder, 56, and former officer Raoul Hartman were arrested on Monday, June 30.

The arrest comes after a multi-disciplinary team led by the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation’s (known as Hawks) Bloemfontein-based Hawks' Serious Organised Crime Investigation, K-9 Unit, Crime Intelligence, and Police Emergency Services joined forces. 

The provincial spokesperson for the Hawks, Warrant Officer Fikiswa Matoti, said one of the suspects is a former Warrant Officer who was attached to the Hawks’ Serious Organised Crime Investigation in Bloemfontein until 2019 when he retired.

“The 26-year-old victim alleges that, during July 2022, she saw an advertisement on Facebook for a job as a bartender at a certain gentleman's club in Ferreira, Bloemfontein. She started talking to the club owner, who made arrangements for the victim to be transported from Ventersburg,” Matoti said. 

A few days later, the club owner and a driver brought the victim to Bloemfontein. 

“Upon arrival, she was taken to the house of one of the accused persons where she was drugged, sexually assaulted, and repeatedly raped by a group of males. The victim further alleges that one of the suspects was taking pictures during the ordeal. She managed to escape through the bathroom window and sought assistance. The case was reported at a nearby police station and later transferred to the Hawks,” Matoti said. 

Mulder and Hartman were released on R3,000 bail each, while Britz remains in custody. 

The matter has been postponed until July 8. 

The fourth suspect, a 34-year-old man, was arrested by the Hawks’ Secunda Serious Organised Crime team on Tuesday, July 1. He is in transit to appear in the Bloemfontein Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday. 

Head of the Hawks in the Free State, Major General Mokgadi Bokaba, applauded the investigators for pursuing justice, regardless of who was involved in the crime. 

robin.francke@iol.co.za

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