Fake businessman rapist who taunted his victims on Facebook is jailed

A serial rapist who recorded one of the attacks and brazenly posted the video on Facebook, taunting his victims to lay criminal cases against him, has received a sentence of life imprisonment.

Newly appointed detective Capt Rene Nel from the Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences Unit in Bethlehem spent three years ensuring justice for the victims, said Free State police spokesperson Capt Phumelelo Dhlamini.

Mokoena Petrus Nhlapo, 42, had from 2015 posed as a successful businessman on his Facebook account to lure woman with the promise of employment.

His victims were raped at different places after he conducted fake interviews.

“The convict recorded a video of one victim and posted it on his Facebook account whereby this encouraged his victims to open rape cases against him,” said Dhlamini.

Fifteen cases with 62 charges were opened against him.

He was arrested in June 2018 and was remanded in custody until his sentencing on February 22 to life imprisonment.

“The convict did not show any remorse when he was sentenced to serve life imprisonment for the rape charges as well as six counts of assault, three counts of kidnapping, one count of malicious damage to property and a count of crimen injuria,” Dhlamini said.

Thirteen victims are Lesotho citizens while two are South Africans.

Free State provincial police commissioner Lt-Gen Baile Motswenyane applauded the investigating officer and said: “This will send a message to all rapists that we have capabilities to investigate and enable the justice system to send them to jail for good.”

TimesLIVE