Smooth criminal robs, rapes women

Lekopanye Mooketsi | Monday September 1, 2014 11:06

One of the women was even raped, according to the police.  The man lures his victims to the bush between Phase II location and West Gate shopping complex where he would then rob them.  Mapeu said the man’s tactics is to waylay his victims at the main bus rank. He said usually the suspect targets young women who are arriving by buses and carrying some items.  The station commander said they received the latest case on Friday morning, adding that there was another incident which was reported to the Borakanelo Police Station.  

Upon approaching the potential victim, he would ask her if she knows “Sam”. The police chief said the man would then claim that this Sam has told him that the woman was the one who stole his car radio. He would then suggest that they should go and meet Sam so that they can resolve the issue. The women who were robbed had agreed to accompany him on different occasions. They would then walk until they reached the bush behind Phase II. 

Mapeu said in some instances, the man convinced his victims that the person they were looking for was at a nearby filling station. 

The police chief said  unlike in other similar incidents, the suspect has never claimed to be a traditional doctor. In the past there have been cases where people were robbed by conmen who claimed they were witchdoctors.  

Mapeu said when they have reached the bush the man would strike. He would then grab the woman’s valuables and run away.

In another incident  the man threatened his victims like in the case of the woman that he raped.  In another incident a woman was ordered to undress but she was not violated. The police say all the robberies occurred during the day and that the victims were robbed of valuables like cellphones and laptops.