An 18-year-old teen was raped recently in Mgobodi bushes during the Easter Sunday after she allegedly met a suspect on Facebook.
The victim from Ntunda received a friend request from the suspect, after accepting the invite, their friendship was taken to another level.
According to information, the duo started chatting on Facebook in February this year (2023). Their conversation led to the duo arranging a date set for the Easter Sunday.
The victim alleged that her male friend requested her to arrive at Mgobodi after 19:00. She reportedly took a taxi and whilst on her way they constantly communicated and the male friend kept on assuring her that she will find him at the bus rank. She arrived at Mgobodi at around 20:00.
According to the victim, on her arrival the situation was no longer as per agreement. She alleged that she could not find her male friend instead she found somebody who introduced himself as someone sent by a friend to pick her up. It was during this time when she noticed that something was not right, especially when the guy directed her to the nearest bushes. Out of suspicions she asked why into the bushes, but she was informed that it was a shortcut to her friend’s residence.
Whilst in the bushes, she was accosted by the suspect who raped her before robbing her of her cell phone before fleeing the scene, leaving her stranded.
After a while, the victim recalled her male friend’s voice which sounded exactly like the suspect’s voice, making her believe that she was raped by her Facebook friend. A case is being investigated by the Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences (FCS) Unit buy no one has been arrested so far.
The Provincial Commissioner of the SAPS in Mpumalanga, Lieutenant General Semakaleng Daphney Manamela has strongly condemned the incident. The General further cautioned communities on the risk that goes along with online dating as it might place their lives in danger or have negative repercussion for those involved in it.
