VRYBURG – A 38-year-old man linked through DNA to a string of rape cases spanning a decade appeared briefly before the Atamelang Magistrates’ Court on Friday 25 September 2026.
Joseph Mokgwetsi, also known as Papi, faces charges related to multiple rape cases after being arrested in Vryburg two days earlier. He was remanded in custody and is expected back in the same court on Monday 5 October 2026 for a bail application.
Mokgwetsi was apprehended on Wednesday 23 September 2026 following a multidisciplinary investigation that brought together the Investigative Psychology Unit, the Mmabatho Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences Unit, and the Provincial Serial and Electronic Crime Investigation Unit.
The teams worked jointly to analyse available evidence, establish connections between the cases, and identify the suspect through DNA linkage.
The cases
In 2012, a 24-year-old woman was walking home from a tavern in Kanana when an unknown man dragged her by her clothes to an open space at Vaalpark, where he assaulted and raped her.
In 2016, a 16-year-old girl was with a friend when they met an unknown man outside a tavern. He asked them to accompany him to an ATM. When it started raining, the suspect broke into a house and raped the victim in front of her friend.
He chased the friend away and took the victim to a second house, where he raped her again.
In 2022, a 20-year-old woman was at a tavern in Huhudi when she received a phone call from her father. She went outside to answer it. Someone grabbed her phone and ran. She chased the suspect and, during the pursuit, encountered an unknown man who asked what she was doing in the dark. He took her to a graveside and raped her.
The suspect is also linked to a 2016 rape case in Meadowlands.
Teams lauded
North West Provincial Commissioner Lt gen Arthur Adams praised the arrest and commended the multidisciplinary team for their dedication and persistence in pursuing cases of gender-based violence and sexual offences.
He said the successful DNA linkage demonstrated the importance of specialised investigative capabilities and collaboration between units in strengthening investigations and ensuring suspects were brought before the courts.
“Cases involving sexual offences require thorough, victim-centred investigations. I commend the members involved for their commitment and professionalism in pursuing all leads, which resulted in identifying and arresting the suspect.
“We will continue to pursue perpetrators of gender-based violence and ensure they face justice,” said Adams.
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