Pretoria – A 34-year-old serial rapist, who was on the run for 13 years, was arrested on Thursday after he was linked to the crimes through DNA, Free State police said.
During his raping spree, which took place in the Bloemspruit area between 2009 and 2013, the man raped 13 women between the ages of 23 and 24, except for one victim aged 43.
Detailing his modus operandi, police said the suspect would surprise his victims by sneaking up on them from behind, grabbing them by the neck, threatening to stab them, and then dragging them either to an open space or an empty house where he would rape them.
The suspect is expected to appear in the Bloemfontein Magistrate’s Court on Monday on charges of rape and attempted murder.
In Limpopo, police arrested six suspects for rapes that were committed in Tshilwavhusiku around November and December 2021.
In one of the incidents, a 15 year-old girl was allegedly gang raped by three male suspects aged 16, 21 and 31 while she was walking home at night. The victim allegedly ran into the 31-year-old suspect who threatened her with a knife and took her to his home.
“Upon arrival, they reportedly found four men who were busy consuming crystal meth drugs at the house. The victim was subsequently raped by two suspects including the owner of the house while the other two men watched,” police said.
The 31 year-old suspect then took the victim to her home and attempted to apologise to her aunt for the ordeal. The police were then called.
The suspect ran away and was in hiding together with his accomplices until they were arrested on Tuesday.
IOL