Within three months after taking on a case of a WhatsApp sexual predator, the SAPS Gauteng Provincial Serial and Electronic Crime Investigation Unit (SECI) cracked the case and arrested a 36-year-old Gqeberha man on Thursday, 30 September 2021 at a house in Walmer.
It is alleged that in June 2021, SECI was approached by a reporter from a mainstream media house and a private investigator for assistance in tracking down the sexual predator on behalf of the victims.
The specialised unit on interviewing 25 victims discovered the modus operandi of the suspect was exactly the same.
It is further alleged that since March 2016, the suspect had been victimizing females from across the country. Investigations revealed that the perpetrator would randomly Google ‘estate agents’ and after obtaining their cellphone numbers, he would make contact with them via a WhatsApp video call.
He would then talk ‘dirty’ to them and thereafter perform lewd sexual acts while still on the video call.
With the assistance of Cyber Intelligence, SECI finally traced the suspect. He was arrested and his cellphone confiscated.
He appeared in the Gqeberha Magistrates’ Court on Friday, 1 October 2021 on charges of exposing an adult to witness self-masturbation, flashing/indecent exposure and crimen injuria. He is remanded in custody and his next appearance in court is on 4 October 2021.
Police are urging any other females who may have encountered the same experience and have not reported the matter to contact D/WO Huligonda Smuts at SAPS Walmer detectives on 082 319 8707 or Crime Stop on 08600 10111 or by using MySAPS app.
