Limpopo police have initiated a manhunt for an awaiting trial prisoner, Mola Matome Reuben Modiba (29), who absconded from police custody earlier this week.
Modiba evaded Maake police officers at Lenyenye, located in the Tzaneen area of the Mopani district in Limpopo, and vanished from sight.
Initially, police apprehended the suspect in connection with a reported residential burglary in April.
It is alleged that Modiba escaped while police were taking him to the detention cells in response to accusations made by the detective.
Police are currently looking into the circumstances surrounding the incident that made the escape possible.
To track down the fugitive, a specialised team of detectives has been assigned.
Community members are strongly discouraged from trying to capture the suspect because doing so could put their safety in danger.
Life in jail for raping teenage boy
Meanwhile, the Limpopo police boss, Lieutenant-General Thembi Hadebe, has welcomed the life imprisonment sentence handed down by the Mahwelereng Regional Court this week to a 22-year-old man from Ga-Madiba village for the rape of a 13-year-old boy.
The accused, whom the victim knew, approached the 13-year-old victim on November 4, 2023, while he was at a nearby car wash and suggested that they go look for donkeys, the court heard.
Upon the victim’s refusal, the accused dragged him into the surrounding bushes, where he raped and assaulted the teenager.
The victim, who had never been in the area before, asked the accused to go home with him after the assault.
The victim bravely told his aunt about the incident, and his aunt called the police right away. The suspect was apprehended the following day.
The case was meticulously investigated by the family violence, child protection, and sexual offences unit, which successfully contested bail during judicial proceedings.
This comprehensive inquiry ensured that justice was duly administered for the young victim.
Hadebe commended the successful prosecution of this case. “This sentence sends a clear message that we will not tolerate crime against children,” she said.
