A suspected serial rapist linked to the rape of three teenage girls will appear before a Kanye Magistrates court tomorrow (Monday)
After eluding the police for days, 26-year-old Tebogo Matlakala of Kgwakgwe ward in Kanye was finally arrested on Thursday for allegedly raping his third victim, an 18-year-old woman.
Assistant Superintendent (ASP) Andrew Mbazo confirmed the incident and said the two met via Facebook and that they had been communicating since the first week of June till they physically met in Kanye last Saturday.
According to ASP Mbazo, the victim who resides at Mmopane, Block 1, met Matlakala at Kgwakgwe ward near Ngwaketse Junior School and he offered to accompany her to a male friend she had an appointment with.
“While on the way, the victim got pricked by a thorn on her foot and Matlakala told her that the thorn was a dangerous one and that she needed urgent attention. He then took the victim to the nearest bush with the promise of finding a remedy for her pain,” Mbazo explained.
When they got to the bush, the police say, the suspect gathered some tree leaves and told the victim to undress so he could rub them on her body to prevent infection from the thorn.
Matlakala is said to have raped the victim in the bush and took her to his place where he later raped her again. “The suspect later requested the victim to sleep over and when she refused, he chased her away from his place,” Mbazo explained noting that the victim reported the matter to police.
Matlakala who is said to be targeting young girls on Facebook has two more charges for the rape two schools girls aged 17 and 15 in separate incidents.