A 28-year-old woman is accused of throwing hot cooking oil over her soldier boyfriend on Thursday during a violent argument in Polokwane.
She and the 38-year-old man reported to a Seshego police station to seek protection orders against each other. The woman was the first to arrive at the station, requesting an assault complaint be opened against her boyfriend. She also asked for a protection order.
Officers contacted the man and asked him to report to them. When he arrived with severe burn wounds, police officers urged him to open an attempted murder case against the culprit.
The man said his burn wounds were as a result of hot cooking oil poured on him by his girlfriend. When he learnt that both of them faced arrest, he declined to open a case, saying he preferred to also seek a protection order.
On suggestions posted on social media that officers in Seshego had refused to assist the couple, police said this was untrue.
“The police did not refuse to open the case, but the couple opted for the protection orders. SAPS 508 A forms were completed and recorded on the SAPS 508 B domestic violence register, as expected by the courts,” they said.
“After these viral claims [on social media], the leadership of SAPS located the man with the involvement of a social worker, who then confirmed to SAPS leadership and the social worker that he did not want to open a case. The viral messages were not sent by him but were escalated to the social media space by his younger brother.”
In line with SAPS protocols in domestic-related matters, a social worker was contacted to provide psychosocial support to the duo. A follow-up meeting with the social worker was scheduled for Monday.
The estranged couple are also expected to visit their nearest magistrate’s court to finalise their applications for protection orders.
TimesLIVE
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