MAN LURES WOMEN ON FACEBOOK, HELD FOR RAPE

MANZINI – As the overall unemployment rate is at 33.3 per cent, an opportunist took advantage of this by preying on desperate female Facebook users and allegedly raping them.

The suspect is a 27-year-old male of Dlangeni and he was arrested on Tuesday at Ngculwini by police officers from the Mafutseni Police Station. According to impeccable sources, the suspect lured women who had posted on various Facebook groups seeking employment. He is said to have disguised his intentions of sexually violating them under the pretext of having sourced employment for them.

This, it was said, he did by first sourcing his targets’ contacts from the advertisements they had posted on the social media groups with the hope that prospective employers would use when contacting them. Thereafter, it was gathered that he would contact the females and inform them to come to Ngculwini where he resided. According to sources, it was said *Muzi’s modus operandi would be to pretend that he was a single parent raising an infant and as such, he urgently needed a domestic assistant.

Desperation

Out of desperation, his targets are said to have fell for his tricks and travelled to Ngculwini where he resided. One of the survivors is said to have travelled to Ngculwini seeking to meet her employer but upon arrival, she noted that the male was younger than what she had been made to believe. It was gathered that she walked with him but along the way, Muzi started saying that there were no prospects of employment instead she should be his girlfriend.

The job seeker was said to have panicked and communicated this with a relative; but while that was happening, Muzi grabed the phone from her. The job seeker was said to have fled from him and sought refuge in a nearby homestead. However, as she fled, the job seeker was said to have dropped her bags, which Muzi took and fled with.

Also, in a different incident, Muzi was said to have posed as a businessman in need of someone to work in his shop. It was gathered that some women fell for his tricks. Some of the women were said to have been informed that Muzi would then relay to them that he was sent by his employer to direct them to the residence where they would meet him before resuming their duties.

Destination

While walking to their unknown destination, it was established that Muzi would then lead them towards a place with dense vegetation. Thereafter, he would instill fear in the women with a variety of stories. Seeing that they were gullible at that instance, he was said to have advised the women to follow his instruction in order for them to be saved from what was about to befall them.

One woman who was said to have also fallen for Muzi’s trickery was allegedly raped by him in several instances as she had arrived at Ngculwini with no money to return home. It was said the woman had resided with him at his place of abode until he decided to tell her to pack her things and leave. On the day he chucked her out, it was gathered that another woman arrived, who was also under the assumption that she was being employed.

Assistance

According to sources, while residing with some of the women, Muzi was said to have ordered them to request financial assistance from their next of kin, which upon receipt, he would use for his personal gain. According to impeccable sources, police were investigating the matter as there were suspicions that there were more women who had fallen for Muzi’s trickery; however, for now, it was said only three had reported their ordeal to the police. Chief Police Information and Communications Officer Superintendent Phindile Vilakati confirmed the matter.

She said there were suspicions that there could be more people who were abused by the suspect and pleaded with those who were willing to come forward to contact Thandiwe Dlamini on 7606 8891 or Manzini RCBO Thabo Hlophe on 7605 3042 or  Mafutseni Desk Officer Assistant Inspector Akhona Dludlu on 7626 0105.

Post your comment

Your name:

Your e-mail address:

Add your comments:

Please enter the code you see in the image:

Image:

Code: