Roxborough villagers are calling on Commissioner (CoP) of Police Gary Griffith to discipline officers from Union Street, Roxborough police station who took more than 30 minutes on Thursday morning to respond to reports that a male villager was terrorising women by beating them with a Bible.
In one instance, three women—two elderly, were being assaulted, just four houses away from the station.
The officer, responsible for driving the investigating officers, allegedly told villagers he "was bathing" when the incident occurred.
Recounting the incident, a villager, who prefers to remain unidentified because he is related to the assailant, said he was shocked by the situation.
"I was heading to work when I heard that my relative was running around the village slapping women with a Bible in the street. He slapped two women—one a TTPOST mistress, and they ran into another lady's house for safety. He followed them into the house and continued beating them," the man said.
He said the assailant attempted to break down another woman's door but she reinforced it with a chair and began bawling for help.
He said what followed next could only be described as "troubling."
"Villagers ran to the police station and some called the police on the phone, but the police didn't go until more than 30 minutes later."
He said the elderly woman, who saved the other female villagers, was also abused.
"Villagers ran to help the women and stood guard by the house. My relative then ran his mother down the street, telling her "you are next."
He said when the police arrived on the scene, in their vehicle, the driver apologised and said he was having a shower so they could not get to the scene sooner.
Villagers are now saying they want the assailant off the street and taken for psychiatric evaluation as he "trips off."
They also want CoP Griffith to discipline the officers.
"The way they operated in this scenario is how they always operate to all situations and this has to be stopped," villagers said.