Letlhakane ‘serial rapist’ strikes again
Allegedly raped nine women since December
FRANCISTOWN: Police in Letlhakane have launched a manhunt for a man suspected to have raped two women in less than 24 hours at Tawana over the weekend.
The two incidents, which occurred on Friday night and Saturday morning, come just days after police in the village issued an alert about a suspected serial rapist who is on the loose. Before the two recent incidents, police have since December recorded 11 cases of rape in the area.
No one has been apprehended in relation to seven of the cases and police believe that based on the modus operandi, one person could be behind the seven rape offences. In most of the seven previous cases, the victims were in their sleep. According to Letlhakane station commander, Superintendent Michael Maphephu the serial rapist allegedly on the loose might also be the one responsible for two of the recent incidents.
In the first incident (recorded on Friday) Maphephu said a 17-year-old teenager was raped in the early hours of Saturday whilst she was fast asleep at her parents’ house. In the second incident, Maphephu indicated that a 56-year-old woman from the same ward was attacked and raped while sleeping in her bedroom.
He stated that the suspected serial rapist used brutal force on both victims. “The physical description provided by the latest victims matches the one offered by the seven women previously raped (in incidents from the festive season to late January but no arrest has been made).
That is why we believe that there is a serial rapist on the loose.” On a different note, Maphephu said they are investigating a car accident that claimed the life of a 38-year-old man. He stated that the accident occurred on Saturday night in Mokubilo, and the deceased was the driver of the vehicle, a Toyota Hilux.
The 38-year-old’s vehicle is said to have overturned. The deceased was travelling with two passengers, a man and woman aged 26 and 30 years respectively. The two passengers were seriously injured and are currently recuperating at Letlhakane Primary Hospital.