The Independent Complaints Directorate is investigating a case in which a woman was raped after police officials placed her in a holding cell occupied by four men.

The woman (19) was detained at the Transvaal Road police station in Kimberley at 3am on Sunday for drunkenness.

"According to the victim, the officers who picked her up accused her of being a tomboy," the ICD said in a statement on Tuesday.

Repeatedly raped

She was detained in the same holding cell as four men who then repeatedly raped her. She informed a police officer who was doing routine cell visits at 6am that she was being raped.

The officer helped her to open a case and to get medical treatment, the directorate said.

"Our main concern will be to establish how this (being put in the same cell with men) came about."

"(We) also aim to establish if the SAPS Standing Orders were contravened or adhered to in terms of the cell visits that are supposed to take place every hour, or every thirty minutes if a person is detained for drunkenness."

ICD investigations were continuing.

Sapa