He said he was subjected to severe online harassment, stalking, and identity theft.

“Even though someone was arrested, I am still not going out and am living in fear,” said Richard Swanepoel.

Richard appointed the Middelburg-based SA Investigations team to help him with the case “because justice has to be served. This has been going on since February last year and my side of the story has to be heard”.

Mr Anthony Boucher (private investigator, SA Investigations) mentioned that “someone went on an endless online attack aimed at destroying the reputation of our client. The situation escalated to the point where our client had to obtain a court order. The online assault, however, continued.”

During their investigation, they found that someone had created several fake online profiles, posing as Richard.

“Our client was advertised on several gay hook-up websites and he engaged in conversations with other individuals whilst pretending to be our client.”
These conversations were very sexual in nature, as well as very demeaning and insulting.

This led to several people contacting Richard, wanting to meet him for sex. He even received threats that someone would show up at his house and workplace.

“The assault escalated to a point where our client’s neighbours, his parents, his siblings abroad and finally his place of employment, were dragged into the mess,” Mr Boucher said.

According to him, their client’s place of employment was contacted via email with pornographic images, claiming that their client was HIV positive and that he was on drugs and a male sex worker.

“Fake Google accounts were created and used to leave negative reviews on the Google business website of the company where our client is employed.”

With the permission of Richard, Mr Boucher showed www.mobserver.co.za some of the messages that were sent around.

“The language used was very demeaning, insulting and was meant to destroy the professional and personal reputation of our client.”
He added that the harassment soon turned from online to physical.

“Our client’s mother received emails from fake accounts. These emails contained photos of our client’s residence as well as the cars parked in the driveway, and the message said: ‘See your whore son has been busy’.”

Realising that the photos were taken directly in front of his house, Richard started to fear for his safety.
He stopped leaving home. At one stage in the investigation, he told Mr Boucher that he simply does not feel safe at work or at home.

He was worried that the insulting language the man used online whilst he was posing as Richard, would eventually encourage someone to physically harm him.

“The comments that were used were not only homophobic, but also racist and demeaning to others.”

Late in July, the team at SA Investigations had enough evidence to hand the case over to the police for further investigation.

“We were elated to receive the news that someone was arrested and that he appeared in court. We truly hope that the justice system will support our client.”

• Edward Vaughn Harris appeared in the Randburg Magistrates’ Court on August 4. A charge of contravention of a protection order is being investigated.
Bail was set at R2 000, and the case was postponed to September 14.

Www.mobserver.co.za contacted Mr Harris and asked if he wanted to comment on the matter.
He said that he is “not allowed to speak about the case.”

We asked him if it is possible that someone could have used his name in the harassment of Richard and he just said “yes”. He then greeted friendly and hang up.

• For more information about SA Investigations, visit their website at rsainvestigate.com.