A Western Cape police officer has been convicted of raping a teenage girl and sentenced to an effective 20 years in prison.

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The Independent Police Investigative Directorate (IPID), the law enforcement watchdog, reviewed the conviction and sentence of Captain Andre Bekkies, associated with the SAPS security and protection services.

Phaladi Shuping, IPID spokesman, revealed that Captain Andre Bekkies was this week convicted by the Parow Magistrates Court of rape and three counts of sexual assault.

Shuping explained that the case developed after allegations surfaced accusing Bekkies of assaulting a 14-year-old girl on December 13, 2019 at around 8 p.m., prompting an IPID report for rape and sexual assault .

“Ipid investigated the matter and, following an investigation, forwarded the file to the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) in the Western Cape.

“The DPP has decided that Captain Bekkies should be charged with rape and three counts of sexual assault.”

According to the judge’s ruling, Bekkies received 20 years in prison for the rape charge, three years for the first sexual assault charge and five years for the remaining two sexual assault charges.

“After the court ordered both sentences to be carried out, he will effectively serve 20 years in prison,” Shuping concluded.

In a separate incident last month, a Western Cape police officer was charged with rape.

According to IPID, the officer is accused of sexually assaulting a woman while she was in a cell at the police station. The woman was arrested for assault.

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