George police officer arrested for tampering with evidence
Photo: @SA Police Service (SAPS)/ Twitter
Rape convict escapee sexually assaults another woman before being rearrested
A man currently serving a 15-year sentence for rape escaped from custody last week and allegedly attacked another woman.
George police officer arrested for tampering with evidence
Photo: @SA Police Service (SAPS)/ Twitter
A suspect serving a 15-year rape sentence escaped from lawful custody on Thursday, 3 February and allegedly committed another rape while on the run from the police. He was re-arrested the next day in Gauteng.
RAPE CONVICT REARRESTED
The suspect was receiving medical treatment at a healthcare facility when he made a run for it on Thursday. He is currently serving a 15-year sentence for a 2021 rape.
According to South African Police Service (SAPS) spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Mavela Masondo, a task team – led by Sergeant Mpikiti Thaele – was formed immediately to track down and arrest the suspect.
“While out tracing the whereabouts of the escapee Sergeant Thaele received information on Friday night, 4 February 2022 that a woman had been allegedly raped at Henley on Klip train station in Meyerton,” said Masondo.
The 33-year-old victim told Thaele that she was attacked and raped while on her way home from work and the vivid description she gave of the alleged perpetrator matched the suspect.
Sergeant Thaele arrested the escaped rape suspect within hours of the incident in Henley-on-Klip in Meyerton.
“The re-arrested escapee is linked to the rape incident that occurred earlier that night and further investigation in this regard is still underway,” said the police spokesperson.
The provincial police commissioner Lieutenant-General Elias Mawela lauded Thaele’s efforts.
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