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Polokwane man who lured rape victims on Facebook found guilty

The 21-year-old man, known as Caption CJ from Extension 71A placed an advert on Facebook pretending to be a tattoo artist before raping four girls between the age of 15 and 22-years-old.

POLOKWANE – A 21-year-old man, Mehlodi Robert Baloyi from Extension 71A has been found guilty on four counts of rape, a count of robbery with aggravating circumstances and a count of theft.

Baloyi appeared on trial where the Limpopo High Court: Polokwane Division heard that he placed an advertisement on a Facebook page, pretending to be a tattoo artist. He was well known as ‘Caption CJ’.

You might also want to read: ‘Facebook serial rapist’ arrested at Letaba Hospital

NPA Regional Spokesperson Mashudu Malabi-Dzhangi said the complainant contacted the accused and agreed to meet him at his home.

Photo: Limpopo NPA

“Upon arrival at his residential place, the accused pretended to initiate the crafting of a tattoo. During the process, he threatened the victims with steel and a panga and forcefully undressed them before raping them. The accused would then take pictures and video footage of the victim while naked and threaten to post them on social media if they reported it to the police,” she said.

Malabi-Dzhangi said Baloyi also told another complainant that he would invite Zimbabwean men into his yard to join him in raping her and that she would be buried.

“He also threatened to traffic the victims and robbed them of their cellphones and money amounting to R40. He then escorted the victims out of his residence and left them at a local tuckshop.
The state alleged that the commission of the crimes was pre-planned,” she said.

Malabi-Dzhangi added that all the crimes happened during the victims’ first time meeting the accused and that Baloyi raised a defence of consensual intercourse.

“The case will continue on May 30 for pre-sentencing procedures,” she concluded.

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Raeesa Sempe

Raeesa Sempe is a Caxton Award-winning Digital Editor with nine years’ experience in the industry. She holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Media Studies from the University of the Witwatersrand and started her journey as a community journalist for the Polokwane Review in 2015. She then became the online journalist for the Review in 2016 where she excelled in solidifying the Review’s digital footprint through Facebook lives, content creation and marketing campaigns. Raeesa then moved on to become the News Editor of the Bonus Review in 2019 and scooped up the Editorial Employee of the Year award in the same year. She is the current Digital Editor of the Polokwane Review-Observer, a position she takes pride in. Raeesa is married with one child and enjoys spending time with friends, listening to music and baking – when she has the time. “I still believe that if your aim is to change the world, journalism is a more immediate short-term weapon." – Tom Stoppard

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