30 Jan 2014

Selebi Phikwe police are hunting for serial rapist, who targets elderly women aged between 58 and 84 years, in the Mmadinare-Selebi Phikwe area.

Station commander, Superintendent Victor Nlebesi said the serial rapist operated in the Mmadinare- Selebi Phikwe area targeting elderly women hitch hiking from Mmadinare to Selebi Phikwe or surrounding fields (masimo).

“The information the police have is that the culprit targets hitch hiking elderly women and offers them a ride from Mmadinare to Selebi Phikwe. On the way, the culprit changes routes and diverts away from the main road using a dusty road that heads towards the landfill.

The story being that he had forgotten his license and was taking a short cut to Selebi Phikwe to avoid being apprehended by the police. It is while on this dusty road that the culprit then rapes his victims,” he said.

He indicated that all the rape victims had given the police similar descriptions of the perpetrator together with the tactics he used to lure them into the vehicle before driving into the bush to rape them.

He explained that the latest rape incident took place on January 24 morning where an old woman of 58 was raped.

“On Friday, an old woman gave a statement that whilst waiting for a bus in Mmadinare, a driver in a white Hilux offered her a ride which she initially rejected for lack of trust on private transport operators, but upon hearing that she was not going to pay any fee for the ride, she agreed to travel to Selebi Phikwe with the man,” he said

He indicated that the old woman said that, on the way to town just before the Selebi Phikwe/Mmadinare junction, the man told her that he forgot his driver’s license at home and the best way to avoid the police was to change the route, and pass by the landfill site. Little did she know that she was going to be raped, narrated Superintendent Nlebesi.

He said the victim stated that on the way, the rapist changed routes and drove into the jungle where he took out a screw-driver and threatened to kill the old woman before raping her and thereafter, fleeing.  He said the victim was helped by a passerby who gave her ride and presented her to the police.

Superintendent Nlebesi described the suspect as a man of average height and darkish in complexion. The culprit is fluent in Setswana and in most instances is said to wear greasy clothes which probably links him to auto mechanics and or related jobs.

The superintendent appealed to the public to inform the nearest police should they see any person of such description. He also pleaded with people, especially women to avoid hitch hiking as well as walking or being alone. He appealed to the nation to help them apprehend the suspect and that Botswana television will show an identikit to viewers very soon.

Meanwhile in another incident, the police are investigating a case in which a 27-year old woman from Tutume was found hanging from a tree at Sesame ward in Selebi Phikwe. Mr Nlebesi said the deceased was an employee of Eureka wholesale in Selebi Phikwe. He said the woman was certified dead at the hospital. ENDS