Polokwane communities have been plagued by an alleged serial rapist since 2017 and on Friday, 21 April 2023, police made a crucial arrest.
Years of search for Polokwane serial rapist end in epic arrest
Residents in Matjetje and Makhushane have been terrorised by a sadistic sex fiend who, for years, has preyed on defenceless women.
However, in a statement, police spokesperson Colonel Malesela Ledwaba revealed the suspect’s reign of terror came to an end on Friday 21 April 2023 when members of the Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences (FCS) Unit in Phalaborwa arrested him.
The suspect, a 45-year-old male, was positively linked to nine cases of rape using a similar modus operandi. Col. Ledwaba explained a six-year trace effort revealed the alleged Polokwane serial rapist’s pattern.
He would lurk in the shadows of the night, while he stalked his prey, usually women walking with male companions. According to Ledwaba, the rapist would pounce on his victims, threaten them with a knife, and then proceed to rape the women.
SHOCKING: The suspect was arrested for a similar crime in 2012
In a gob-smacking revelation, authorities realised the man they had in custody was arrested in 2012 for raping a woman using the same method.
Bizarrely, Ledwaba revealed, a Polokwane court “referred him to undergo mental assessment and was later released after the court ruled out that he had mental illness.”
Unfortunately, the suspect’s release from police custody only allowed him the freedom to go on a streak of sex crimes.
The 45-year-old only returned to police’s radar in 2019 when trace evidence found at a rape scene was linked to his DNA. As it turned out, the sadistic serial offender had raped at least nine victims between 2017 and 2021.
What’s worse, police investigations are currently underway to establish whether the suspect could be linked to more similar crimes.
The Acting Provincial Commissioner of Police in Limpopo Major General Jan Scheepers welcomed the arrest and commended the concerted efforts of the members involved.
“I would also like to commend the concerted efforts of the members involved that resulted in the arrest of the suspect, which will bring down the level of rape incidents in the affected areas and bring relief to the affected communities as well,” he said.
The suspect will appear in the Namakgale Magistrate’s Court on Monday 24 April 2023.