Breakthrough in Uber rape and robbery cases
Police have made a breakthrough in the cases of three people who were attacked in July and August, allegedly while taking Uber rides.
On July 16, News24 reported that a woman was attacked and raped after getting into what she thought was an Uber taxi in Fourways, Johannesburg. A case of rape, kidnapping, and robbery was opened afterwards.
In August, it was reported that a couple was attacked after ordering an Uber ride home via the service’s mobile app from the Movida nightclub in Sunninghill in the early morning hours.
A friend told News24 that the couple made frequent use of the Uber app and paid attention to the details, including the type of vehicle and driver, as provided by the app.
Shortly after departing, two men hiding in the boot pushed the back seats forward and got into the front of the car and stabbed the man while his girlfriend was bundled into the boot. She was also allegedly raped. The incident happened on the William Nicol Drive off-ramp.
Initially police spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Lungelo Dlamini told News24 that the attack did not involve an Uber taxi.
“We are investigating it, but it wasn’t an Uber taxi. It was a metered taxi,” Dlamini said in August.
However, he has now confirmed that the attacks did indeed involve an Uber vehicle with two suspects, one of which is a former Uber employee, being arrested.
“Police have also launched a manhunt for a third suspect who is still at large,” Dlamini said.
One of the suspects was arrested in Mpumalanga and the other in Germiston, Gauteng. The arrests were made following investigation by members of the Gauteng Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences Unit.
According to police it still unknown whether there were more victims involved in similar attacks in the area.
The two suspects are due to appear in the Randburg Magistrate’s Court on Monday.
Update — statement from Uber:
First and foremost our thoughts continue to be with the riders and their families, with whom we’ve been in contact from the start. We are grateful to police for their work to bring these two individuals to justice, one who was a former driver-partner.
This individual’s arrest is the result of an investigation involving close collaboration between Uber and local law enforcement. Because of the ongoing police investigation, we are limited in what we can say.
Prior to this individual’s deactivation and arrest, he held a valid Professional Driver’s Permit and he cleared all background checks – there was no evidence of a prior criminal record. Driver-partners wanting to use the Uber app must undergo a pre-screening process, which includes a criminal background check, before their driver profile is activated.
At no time leading up to the attacks was the suspect’s profile matched to provide Uber rides to any of the victims. As soon as there was any suspicion he may be involved in the incidents, as a precaution, his account and access to the platform was blocked. When we identified the suspect after an internal investigation, we notified the police immediately. It is our standard practice to immediately suspend any individual who may be involved in suspicious activity pending further internal and/or police investigation.
If there is any consolation after these terrible crimes it is that our technology, which includes the tracking and recording of every minute and meter taken using Uber, was useful in part of the evidence which led to this arrest.
We have a dedicated incident response team, GPS-tracking and many other technology advances to improve safety before, during and after the ride. It’s important to remember the following tips to use Uber safely:
- Please remember to always check and confirm all driver and vehicle details before getting into a vehicle, even if the driver claims to be your Uber ride.
- Riders should also make use of the technology in the app that allows them to share their driver and vehicle details and their estimated time of arrival with a family or friend.
- Law enforcement should always be the first point of contact in the event of an incident.
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