SIX VICTIMS IDENTIFIED HIM AS THE ‘MOKOLODI RAPIST’
Suspected serial rapist awaits trial in jail
A suspected serial rapist who terrorised women at the Mokolodi turn-off was on Monday denied bail.
Extension II Magistrate, Lentlhabetse Willie, told the accused person, Meluleki Khumbulani Ndlovu - facing three counts of rape and three counts of armed robbery - that he was not a bail candidate at all because he was an illegal immigrant likely to flee if released from custody.
The 36-year-old Zimbabwean man had allegedly lived in the country for 19 years without a permit to do so.
Court heard that on the 13th of June at the Mokolodi turnoff bushes, for purposes of sexual gratification, Ndlovu forced his penis into the mouth of his victim without her consent.
On the second count, he allegedly robbed the victim of her silver Hisense cellphone valued at P600 and, immediately before such robbery, used actual violence to obtain such property.
In another incident, it is alleged that on the 7th of July at the Mokolodi turn-off bushes, for purposes of sexual gratification, Ndlovu again forced his penis into the mouth of another victim without her consent.
VICTIM
The accused person allegedly robbed the victim of her Hisense cellphone valued at P950, toiletries worth P200, clothes worth P2000 and cash amounting to P350.
On the 19th of August, at Notwane, the accused person allegedly had carnal knowledge of another woman without her consent.
On the sixth count, Ndlovu allegedly robbed yet another woman of her black Samsung J2 cellphone with headsets valued at P730 and cash amounting to P450. It is further alleged that immediately before such robbery he used violence to obtain such properties.
Taking a stand to oppose Ndlovu’s bail application, the Investigating Officer, Detective Sub Inspector Kangangwani Dubula, said investigations into this matter were at an initial stage.
He described Ndlovu as a flight risk who did not have documents that allowed him to be in this country.
The court also heard of how Ndlovu could have conspired with his girlfriend to commit these heinous crimes and that she will also be arraigned at a later stage.
“His girlfriend was posing on social media as an agent helping jobseekers especially house-helpers to get jobs in Mokolodi. She would then instruct her victims to meet ‘her brother’, being Ndlovu, at the Mokolodi turn-off to take them to the potential employer.
Ndlovu would then meet the victims, rape and rob them.
“During our investigations, we went to the accused’s house and recovered some of the stolen cellphones and clothes. We also found his girlfriend wearing clothes of some of the victims. We called the victims after his arrest and they identified him,” said Dubula.
The investigating officer went on to say that the state has since taken Ndlovu’s blood for DNA testing and was awaiting results. Dubula said more charges are likely to be added as they suspect the accused person entered Botswana at an ungazetted point and remained in the country unlawfully for the past 19 years.
He will be back in court for status hearing on September 28th.