Sibling acts as ‘bait’ for sister’s rapist

Raped and robbed.

A 27-year-old woman visited a local employment agency on February 4, desperately seeking employment.

At 6.15pm, she was delighted to receive a phone call from a man claiming to work for a local power station.

He instructed her to meet him at Theku Plaza to rectify discrepancies in her CV.

Upon arrival, the man dragged her into a nearby veld adjacent to Albert Wessels Street where he tied her up and raped her. He stole her shoes, cellphone and an undisclosed amount of money.

A case of rape and robbery was opened pending further investigation.

The case was handed over to Newcastle’s Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences Unit.

On February 5, the investigating officer received information that the victim’s sister, who also provided the employment agency with her CV, received a call for a prospective employer.

The information received was verified and a sting operation was conducted.

The victim’s sister met with the phony employer, who lured her into a nearby veld.

Police intervened and arrested the suspect as he attempted to flee the scene.

Later, a search was conducted of the suspect’s home in Madadeni. Numerous CVs and two SIM cards were found.

The victim’s cell phone was also recovered.

The 31-year-old suspect was charged with rape and robbery and appeared before Newcastle Magistrate’s Court on February 9.

KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Commissioner, Lieutenant General Mmamonnye Ngobeni praised Newcastle’s FCS Unit for the swift arrest of the suspect.

“We will not tolerate criminals who are taking advantage of the people seeking jobs,” she said. “We appeal to anyone who might have been raped by the so-called ‘bogus employer’ to contact the branch commander of Newcastle’s FCS unit, Lieutenant Nagesh Moothilal on 034 314 6430 or 082 554 5867.”

The community applauded police for their outstanding work and dedication in ensuring justice was served.