Suspected sexual offenders nabbed in Knysna and Plett
REGIONAL - Four suspected sexual offenders from Knysna and Plettenberg Bay have been arrested as part of a concerted effort by specialist detectives of the Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual offences unit (FCS) based in George. The tracing operation was conducted from Wednesday to Friday, 23 to 25 March.
According to Southern Cape police spokesperson Captain Malcolm Pojie, the tracing operation was aimed at detecting known wanted suspects as well as those for whom a warrant of arrest has been issued by the court.
Three suspects for whom warrants of arrest had been issued were arrested for various sexual offences. These were a 44-year-old man for indecent exposure, in Pacaltsdorp; a 21-year-old man for a sexual assault in Knysna; and a 42-yearold man in connection with a rape that took place in Plettenberg Bay in March 2018.
Nine other suspects, of whom three are juveniles, were arrested as they were known and identified by their victims/ complainants. The violations were committed within the Conville (four), Thembalethu (three) and Knysna (two) policing precincts, mostly during March.
Most of these suspects are still in police custody and were to appear in the George and Knysna magistrate's courts respectively on Monday 28 March. Two of the juveniles are currently in detention at a youth and juvenile detention facility in George. All victims were afforded the necessary support by the police.
The Western Cape police management commended the team for their vigilance and bringing these sexual offenders to book. Pojie said gender-based violence and femicide remain a priority for police and all efforts are being made to ensure that perpetrators face the full might of the law.
"These arrests will also bring some sort of closure to the victims knowing that their perpetrators will at least face the might of the law."