Warrant Officer Refilwe Tladi’s dedication to her work has helped remove another sexual predator off the streets this week — helping send a 16-year-old serial rapist who preyed on young boys in Soshanguve, north of Pretoria, to a lengthy jail term.
In May, Tladi was assigned as the lead investigator in the case of a serial rapist who was terrorising young boys in Rietgat, Soshanguve.
This week, just seven months after she took over the case, the serial rapist, who began his rape spree in March raping eight boys between the ages of eight and 12, was convicted in the Soshanguve Magistrate’s Court.
The teenager was convicted on two counts of rape, attempted rape and robbery. He pleaded guilty to all the charges.
He was sentenced to five years of direct imprisonment, which he will serve in a compulsory residence in a child and youth care centre in Soshanguve.
Tladi said the serial rapist was convicted of only two rape cases instead of eight because DNA evidence only linked him to those rapes thus far.
She said police were waiting for DNA results in connection with five other rape case dockets before they could charge him.
Tladi said the serial rapist was arrested at his home in May. His trial began in July, and it was held in-camera.
She said the rapist would approach boys and ask them for directions, then later rob them and take them to a deserted area where he violated them.
Tladi said police linked the serial rapist to the rape cases through DNA; however, she said initially the perpetrator was apprehended by the brother of one of the victims.
“But unfortunately the court did not place the case on the roll because proper procedures were not followed by the first investigating officer.
“Later, the forensic science laboratory confirmed that the buccal swab they received from him matched the ones found on the victim,” said Tladi.
When she took over the case, there were three dockets opened. After the case of the first victim was not put on the roll, she went back to the case and retook statements of the victim and witnesses.
Meanwhile, the suspect continued his raping spree, and more dockets were opened.
“When I read through the statements of other victims, I knew it was him because the modus operandi in the statements was the same. It was as if the victims were together when they wrote their statements.
“He never denied these crimes. He said there is something that overcomes and overwhelms him and pushes him to go and rape. He said he cannot stop it,” said Tladi.
Tladi said the serial rapist initially began his rape spree at the age of 13 in 2021 in Elim, Limpopo.
Tladi said the perpetrator’s family moved him to Soshanguve in February after community members in Elim threatened to kill him for his alleged crimes.
She said he has been linked through DNA to three cases in Elim. He will appear at the Waterval Magistrates’ Court on December 13.
Born in Atteridgeville, west of Pretoria, 48 years ago, Tladi is a married mother of four and has been a police officer for 22 years.
She joined the serial and electronic crime investigations unit in 2016 to assist victims on GBV-related crimes.
In 2021, Tladi’s detective work led to the sentencing of serial rapist Sello Abram Mapunya, who had been terrorising women and children in and around suburbs in Tshwane.
Mapunya was sentenced to five life sentences and an additional 1 088 years in prison by the Pretoria High Court.
To date, Tladi’s detective work has helped the courts hand down at least 10 life imprisonment sentences and an accumulative 1 233 years on criminals.
“I become satisfied when the victims get justice and a bit of closure for their trauma. My goal is to bring back hope to those who have lost hope in the South African Police Service and the criminal justice system.
“My work is all about those whose lives were violated. They deserve all the selfless hard work we put in doing our police work.”
