Cape Town man wanted for rape hands himself in as police net closes

A man who was wanted in Cape Town for rape, has been arrested following a police appeal for help to track him down.

Jonathan Arends handed himself in and is expected to appear in the Wynberg Magistrate’s Court later on Wednesday.

“There are three charges of rape against him,” a spokesperson for the Wynberg Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences (FCS) unit told News24.

A warrant of arrest had been issued for the 64-year-old man.

“His whereabouts were unknown and that’s why a warrant was issued,” said the FCS spokesperson.

Arends is accused of committing his crimes in the Cape Town suburbs of Steenberg and Grassy Park.

The 2018/2019 National Crime Statistics report showed a 4.6% increase in sexual assault crimes from the previous year.

There were 52 420 cases reported, up from 50 108.

In the Western Cape, there were 7 043 cases, a marginal decrease of 32 cases from the previous year.

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