ALIWAL NORTH – A 22-year-old suspect, Akona Ntombana, appeared before the Aliwal North Magistrate court on 31 January 2022 after he was arrested on Friday 28 January 2022 in the early morning hours for several rape cases that occurred from November 2021 up until January 2022.

Akona caused havoc in the town of Aliwal North after he raped two young girls age 13 and 14 next to the quarry on the 21 November 2021.

He continued with his criminal activities and on the 26 November 2022 he again raped a 15-year-old girl near Egqili School at Soul City in Hilton.

The community were sensitized not to walk alone in the area but unfortunately on the 3 December 2021 another young woman, 24-years-old, fell victim to Akona in the same area.

His last victim, a 12-year-old girl, was also raped on the 17 January 2022 at the open field near Egqili.

Daily the SAPS were involved in activities to find the suspect that was always wearing a self-made balaclava, a beany, khaki trousers, black t-shirt and torn all-star tekkies.

The cases were assigned to D/W/O Mokheseng at the Aliwal North, FCS unit who was contact with the victims.

On Thursday, 27 January 2022, D/W/O Mokheseng received information from one of the victims that she saw the suspect that raped her. He then requested back up from CI, the Detectives, K9 Unit and his colleagues from FCS.

The members patrolled the area and tracked down the suspect. Unfortunately at that stage it was determined that it was not the suspect.

All the members then continued to do crime prevention patrols still in search of the suspect.

The investigating officer then once again received a phone call in the early morning of 28 January 2022 from the victim. She explained that she saw a suspicious person in the vicinity where she was raped.

He agreed to meet the victim who was with her boyfriend at the time and as they used the road to Joe Gqabi passing Soul City she identified the suspect. The men then jumped out of the vehicle and he was immediately arrested.

The victim immediately recognized the beany, trousers, black t-shirt and torn all-star tekkies. The suspect was also in possession of a knife similar to the one that was described in all the cases.

All the other units members were also called for further assistance in the investigation.

The case was postponed until Friday, 4 February 2022 for legal aid representation and a date for the formal bail application.

The acting District Commissioner Brig Rudolph Adolph commended the investigating officer D/W/O Sehloho Mokheseng for his swift reaction and the other units for their daily patrols and efforts to track the suspect. All the team efforts made the success possible.

The community can now rest assured that the culprit is off the streets and will face the mighty hand of the law.

Source: South African Police Service