The long arm of the law caught up with Chris Sithole who is one of the top 50 most wanted Suspects in the province.
Sithole, who also calls himself Leon Nkomo, was arrested by the police in Musina, Limpopo. He was then handed over to the North West Provincial Tracking Team on Tuesday, 13 September 2022, and taken to Brits to face seven separate cases of rape, three of robbery and one of housebreaking and theft.
The crimes were committed between January 2012 and February 2021 in the policing area of Brits.
In one of the cases, the accused allegedly raped a woman in May 2012. A couple was travelling in their vehicle when they saw stones placed on the N4 road in the vicinity of Bokfontein, near Brits.
The husband then reduced speed in order to stop, but the vehicle overturned just after the couple heard the sound of car tyres bursting. The couple was rescued out of the vehicle by three males who then took turns to rape the woman.
Following investigations conducted on this case and others, Sithole was also linked with a housebreaking committed in February 2021 in Brits.
According to information, the occupant of the house was woken up by an activated alarm. On investigation, he realised that the intruder gained entrance into the house and stole clothes and various electrical appliances worth R20 500.00.
Upon appearance before the Brits Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday, 14 September 2022, the accused was remanded in custody. He will make a second court appearance on Friday, 7 October 2022.
The Provincial Commissioner of North West, Lieutenant General Sello Kwena pointed out that the arrest will definitely send a clear message that no place is difficult to get to in the country for the police to bring offenders to book. He also applauded the police in both provinces for their collaboration that resulted in the arrest.
