TZANEEN – A 20-year-old man, called the “Facebook rapist”, was arrested on Christmas Day following several rape cases of girls between 14- and 16-years old in Modjadjiskloof and Bolubedu from the beginning of December last year.

The suspect was arrested by the Tzaneen Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences Unit.

According to police reports, the man allegedly lured his victims through Facebook and upon meeting them at Kgapane Plaza, he would convince them to walk with him to the bushes near Manningburg where he raped and robbed them.

“In one of the cases, the suspect attacked a teenage girl while she was walking to her friend’s house in Ga-Kgapane. He blindfolded her and dragged her to the same spot in Manningburg where he raped her before robbing her of cash and a cell phone,” said police provincial spokesperson Col Malesela Ledwaba.

He said that the suspect was arrested after he was admitted to Kgapane Hospital.

He was hurt by one of his victims while defending herself.

“During the arrest, he was found in possession of a fake ID. The police also recovered cash and cell phones. The suspect was out on bail for the alleged rape of a 14-year-old girl that occurred in September last year using the same modus operandi,” he added.

In a separate case that took place on Christmas Day in Kanana village in the Maake area, a 37-year-old man was caught red-handed by the community raping a 30-year-old woman near a local river.

The suspect attacked the victim with a stone and further assaulted her with fists before he raped her.

“The victim was rescued by the community and her relatives. The suspect was also attacked by the community and eventually rescued by the police who took him to the hospital and placed him under supervision,” said Ledwada.