Cape Town - The man dubbed as the ’Facebook rapist’ from the Free State has been sentenced to life imprisonment.
Mokoena Petrus Nhlapo, 42, has been posing as a successful businessman on Facebook since 2015, and his modus operandi was luring his victims through the social media platform, with the promise of employment.
According to police, 15 cases with 62 charges were opened against Nhlapo.
Provincial police spokesperson Captain Phumelelo Dhlamini said Nhlapo even recorded a sex video with one victim and posted it on his Facebook account, where he encouraged his victims to file rape cases against him.
“On June 1, 2018, the suspect was arrested, detained, and has been remanded in custody until he was sentenced on Tuesday, February 22, 2022, to life imprisonment.
“The convict did not show any remorse when he was sentenced to serve life imprisonment for rape charges.
“He was also sentenced on six counts of assault with a fine of R300 or thirty days imprisonment, three counts of kidnapping with five years’ imprisonment each, one count of malicious damage to property with a fine of R1 000, and one count of crimen injuria with a fine of R200 or twenty days imprisonment,” Dhlamini said.
Two of the victims are South African, while the other 13 are citizens of Lesotho.
Provincial police commissioner Lieutenant General Baile Motswenyane praised the investigating officer Captain Rene Nel, from Bethlehem Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences (FCS) Unit.
“This will send a message to all rapists out there – that we have capabilities as the police to investigate and enable the justice system to send one to jail for good,” said Motswenyane.
IOL