Serial rapist behind bars?

2003-10-03 07:22

Marida Fitzpatrick

Johannesburg - The East Rand serial rapist may be behind bars.

A 28-year-man handed himself over at the Benoni police station on Thursday afternoon. He was arrested and is being questioned by police.

The man has not been charged.

"The police will decide within 48 hours what to do," said Director Faizel Kader for police.

Kader said police earlier visited the same man's residential address as part of their hunt for the serial rapist. They could not find him there and started searching for him. This might be one of the reasons he handed himself over to police.

Kader did not want to comment on whether the arrested man had a red Corsa bakkie or fitted the victims' description of the rapist. "All we can say at this stage is that we are holding a man for questioning."

This is the fourth man questioned by police in connection with the rapes.

A serial rapist has abducted and raped at least three girls between the ages of 12 and 16 over the past few months.

Copycat criminals

Dr Irma Labuschagne, criminologist, warned that "copycat criminals" could continue to rape blonde schoolgirls.

"People could be less careful when they think the rapist is behind bars. Then copycats move in."

She said it seldom happened that rapists handed themselves over to police.

"I don't think it is possible that he simply decided to stop raping and to throw in the towel. If the man in custody is the rapist, he probably felt the net closing in on him."

She said the man could have realised that "it was all over", police had identified him and it was just a matter of time before he got caught.

His friends and family could also have encouraged him after the raid on the house to hand himself over.

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- Beeld