By Staff Reporter
TZANEEN-Two male suspects, aged 18 and 24, are expected to appear in the Kgapane Magistrate’s Court on Friday, March 14, 2025, to face charges of possession of suspected stolen property, four counts of rape, and business robbery.
The alleged incident occurred on Saturday, February 22, 2025, at approximately 23:00, at a student campus in Phaphadi Village, Bolobedu policing area.
According to reports, an unknown African male intruded into the residential area of a group of female students, grabbed eight of them at gunpoint, and led four of them into a passage, where he allegedly raped them. Afterward, he robbed them of their cellphones before fleeing the scene on foot. The victims reported the matter to the police, who launched an investigation.
Following a joint operation by the Mopani Tracking Team and the Tzaneen Family Violence, Children Protection, and Sexual Offences Unit (FCS), the suspects were arrested. The first suspect was located at Bellview village, where he was found in possession of a robbed cellphone. He was unable to provide a satisfactory explanation for the possession of the cellphone and was arrested on the spot.
Further information led the police to another address, where the second suspect was discovered. Upon searching his house, multiple cellphones and a bank card belonging to one of the victims were found hidden under the bed. The suspect was also arrested for possession of suspected stolen property.
The police have urged the community around Bolobedu policing area who have lost or had their cellphones stolen to come forward to identify them. They can contact Detective Sergeant Dalton Makhubela at 082 414 6043, 082 414 2953, or Bolobedu police station.
