The serial rapist who terrorised the community of Mahwelereng for 10 years will appear before the Mokopane Magistrate’s Court on Monday following his arrest by members of the provincial Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences Unit (FCS) the on Wednesday.
The 42-year-old suspect, who is also linked to the murders of three women who he allegedly killed during his raping spree between 2002 and 2012, was positively linked with 12 cases of rape through DNA. The suspect would drag women from the Ma-Pila village and nearby villages near Mahwelereng and take them to the nearby bushes where he raped them, killing three of them. In other cases he would allegedly break into the houses of the victims and rape them before bolting away.
The police believe his arrest has finally solved the long-standing alleged rape and murders of Maria Kandane (25), Precious Mamontlane (13) and Raynette Legotso (21) and who were raped and strangled to death in 2002 and 2004 in the same area respectively. The suspect’s last victim was a 67-year-old Ma-Pila woman whom he broke into her house and raped her in February 2012.
The Provincial Commissioner, Lieutenant General Simon Mpembe has praised the team for their hard work. "The team must be applauded for their untiring efforts and perseverance to bring this monster to book for his barbaric attacks on innocent women," said Mpembe.
“We shall ensure that those who commit this heinous crimes are apprehended. Through specialised investigations we will be able to move beyond arresting such perpetrators but move towards securing harshest sentences. As the police we remain resolute in ensuring that perpetrators of crimes against women, children and the elderly are heavily punished,” added Mpembe.
For enquiries please contact:
Brigadier Hangwani Mulaudzi
Cell: 082 373 2408
