EASTERN Cape police bosses are on a witchhunt to find officials who blew the whistle on the low stocks of forensic rape kits in the province.
The Herald reported last week how police in Nelson Mandela Bay expected to run out of kits before the weekend – in some cases units had just four rape kits left. The next day, police diverted excess stock to where it was needed.
The kits are a crucial part of the evidence needed to convict rapists. Without it, rapists can be let off.
Similar shortages were reported elsewhere in the country, with police highlighting Port Elizabeth, East London and Mthatha as problem areas in the Eastern Cape.
Police attached to the Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences Unit said yesterday the lack of kits had been "temporarily addressed" at the weekend when police top brass managed to distribute "a few" kits to areas that were on the verge of running out. "A few were delivered over the weekend and hopefully these will last until the bulk stock is delivered," one official said.
But now police have also launched an internal investigation to track down whoever spilt the beans on the situation, the official said.
