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A man in handcuffs
Free State police have arrested a 55-year-old man who is allegedly linked to a string of rapes and robberies spanning over two decades across Thabong in Welkom and Bloemfontein.
The suspect’s run from the law came to an end recently when he allegedly attacked and raped a 21-year-old woman at a graveside in Mangaung.
The suspect reportedly poses as a prophet.
Provincial Police Spokesperson Mahlomola Kareli says, “He allegedly just attacks vulnerable women by claiming to have spiritual visions or offering healing prayers. He’s using this pretext to lure them to isolated areas in this instance to gravesites, he was using Magengenene, it’s actually in Mangaung. Upon his arrest he was actually busy with one of the victims. So, the nearby community members rushed to where the screams were coming from and that’s how she was rescued and the suspect was arrested.”
Kareli also says DNA profiling have linked the man to seven additional cases of rape and robbery.
He says, “This is actually the second arrest. He was arrested previously and he got bail. With every arrest we go through DNA testing or DNA sampling so after his arrest we discovered he is linked to cases that dates back to 1999 and all of these cases are rape and robbery.”
PODCAST | Interview with Sergeant Kareli on SAfm
