DNA links Cape man to 23 rapes, court hears
An alleged serial rapist will spend the next week in a police cell while detectives investigate 23 cases of rape the suspect is believed to have committed.
|||Cape Town - An alleged serial rapist will spend the next week behind bars at the Bellville police station while detectives investigate 23 cases of rape the suspect is believed to have committed.
Sikhangele Mki, 33, has been positively linked to the 23 cases through DNA evidence collected by the police’s forensics lab, according to the charge sheet. The rapes were committed over a five-year period in Delft and at his home in Khayelitsha.
Mki made his first appearance at the Bellville Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday, where the magistrate commented on the serious nature of the crimes and advised Mki to seek legal aid in his defence.
He was arrested at his work in the Epping area after the police’s Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences provincial task team completed its investigations.
Police spokeswoman Noloyiso Rwexana said Mki’s modus operandi was to approach his victims and threaten them before robbing them of jewellery and money. “The victims were between the ages of 18 and 28. Seven victims have been traced thus far.”
When investigating the series of rapes, police questioned two people in connection with the crimes following allegations from residents.
“However, they could not be linked to the crimes and they were subsequently released,” Rwexana said.
After the men were released, residents killed them in separate vigilante attacks. Another two men were victims of mob justice after being wrongfully accused of having committed rape in the Khayelitsha area.
“It is now proven that all four of the deceased were not involved in the crimes as alleged by the community,” Rwexana said.
The case was postponed to Thursday for further investigation and bail information. Mki was remanded into custody.
Eric Ntabazalila, the spokesman for the National Prosecuting Authority, said it was not clear if the State would be opposing bail as court proceedings were in its early stages.
gadeeja.abbas@inl.co.za
Cape Argus