Serial rape suspect due in Cape court today

An alleged serial rapist, recently arrested in Hermanus on the southern Cape coast, will appear in court today, Cape police said yesterday.

“Crimes against women and children are priority crimes and every endeavour will be made to apprehend perpetrators,” police spokesperson Captain FC van Wyk said.

From September 2015 until March this year, with the suspect’s arrest, a serial rapist had been operating in and around Zwelihle, in the Hermanus area.

By that time, five cases with the same modus operandi had been reported.

All the cases were linked with the same DNA, while the identity of the suspect was unknown.

“According to victims, an unknown male in his mid to late 20s approached them while they are walking alone in the Zwelihle informal settlement,” Van Wyk said.

“He then forced them, mostly with a knife, to walk with him to a deserted area where they were robbed and raped. Most of the crime scenes were at an old dumping area known as the MOP.”

In most cases, the suspect would have a balaclava or stocking over his face during the at- tacks, which made identification difficult.

On March 4, police on patrol arrested a 29-year-old. He was found in possession of a balaclava, a stocking, a knife and a roll of toilet paper. “Due to a lack of evidence, he was subsequently released. Fortunately, a buccal swab was taken from him. On May 24, the DNA result linked the suspect to 11 rape cases. – ANA