38 YEAR OLD SUSPECT FACES 38 RAPE CHARGES

The District Commissioner of the Ekurhuleni District, Major General Anna Sithole, has welcomed the addition of more rape charges against a 38-year-old man for serial rapes. The suspect was first arrested in January this year and will appear again in the Daveyton Magistrate’s Court on the 27th of February 2023 to face a total of thity-eight (38) counts of rapes committed over a period of four (4) years in the Tembisa, Tembisa South, Benoni and the Putfontein policing precincts.

“The suspect, Sipho Lucas Phiri, was arrested by the Benoni Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences Unit (FCS) detectives following an elaborate investigation, utilizing of in house expertise (linking through DNA and the modus operandi analysis) and a pointing out parade. The vehicle, which has also been used during the commission of these crimes, and his licensed firearm were confiscated as well.” Said Captain Ben Matimulane.

“The evidence is there for all to see that we are dealing with someone, had he not been caught, hellbent on causing trauma and untold pain to women wherever he went,” said Major General Sithole.

Major General went on to thank the Benoni FCS detectives in general and the investigating officer in particular for the manner in which he is handling the case and she is confident that the ultimate outcome will be a lengthy jail time for the suspect.

A total of 12,419 rapes were reported from October until November last year. This is according to the recent crime statistics released by the Minister of Police, Bheki Cele on Friday, 17 February 2023.