A 20-year-old girl from Kopong got more than she bargained for this past weekend when an online romance turned into a nightmare.
What was supposed to be a long-awaited meeting with her Facebook lover ended in rape at the hands of a stranger.
The young woman had been chatting with a man on Facebook for some time and was thrilled when they finally agreed to meet in person.
Their rendezvous was set for Rail Park Mall in Gaborone, where she expected to finally see the man she had been speaking to.
Upon her arrival in Gaborone, she informed her online lover that she was at the mall, and he told her that he would pick her up.
However, when the man arrived, he made a shocking confession—he was not the person she had been chatting with but was taking her to meet ‘her man’ at a nearby event.
Trusting his words, the woman got into his car, unaware of the danger ahead.
Instead of heading to the event, the man drove to a secluded bushy area near Grand Palm Hotel and Tlotlo Conference Centre. Once he was sure they were out of sight, he attacked and raped her.
In an unexpected turn of fate, police officers on patrol happened to be in the area and caught the man in the act.
Panicking, the attacker attempted to flee, but the officers managed to track him down and arrested him.
Mogoditshane police spokesperson, Mbiganyi Letsholathebe confirmed the incident, stating that the suspect is of Nigerian origin and had lured the victim under false pretences.
“It appears the man tricked the victim by claiming he was not the one she had been speaking to on Facebook. However, our investigations indicate otherwise. He had been using fake names and fake profiles to communicate with her,” Letsholathebe explained.
He warned women to be extra cautious when dealing with strangers they meet online, as many people are not who they claim to be.
- Second Woman Raped After a Night Out
In a separate incident over the weekend, police recorded another rape case involving a 27-year-old woman who was attacked after a night out at a local bar.
According to the victim, she and a friend were walking home around 4:00 am when a man approached them and asked to join them. Not suspecting anything sinister, they agreed.
However, as they walked, the man began demanding sex.
Sensing danger, the victim’s friend managed to run away, leaving her behind. Seizing the opportunity, the man overpowered and raped her before fleeing the scene.
“We have not yet arrested anyone in connection with the incident, but we are actively searching for the perpetrator,” Letsholathebe said.
He urged women to avoid walking alone at night and to remain cautious of strangers, emphasising that predators often take advantage of vulnerable individuals.
What was supposed to be a long-awaited meeting with her Facebook lover ended in rape at the hands of a stranger.
The young woman had been chatting with a man on Facebook for some time and was thrilled when they finally agreed to meet in person.
Their rendezvous was set for Rail Park Mall in Gaborone, where she expected to finally see the man she had been speaking to.
Upon her arrival in Gaborone, she informed her online lover that she was at the mall, and he told her that he would pick her up.
However, when the man arrived, he made a shocking confession—he was not the person she had been chatting with but was taking her to meet ‘her man’ at a nearby event.
Trusting his words, the woman got into his car, unaware of the danger ahead.
Instead of heading to the event, the man drove to a secluded bushy area near Grand Palm Hotel and Tlotlo Conference Centre. Once he was sure they were out of sight, he attacked and raped her.
In an unexpected turn of fate, police officers on patrol happened to be in the area and caught the man in the act.
Panicking, the attacker attempted to flee, but the officers managed to track him down and arrested him.
Mogoditshane police spokesperson, Mbiganyi Letsholathebe confirmed the incident, stating that the suspect is of Nigerian origin and had lured the victim under false pretences.
“It appears the man tricked the victim by claiming he was not the one she had been speaking to on Facebook. However, our investigations indicate otherwise. He had been using fake names and fake profiles to communicate with her,” Letsholathebe explained.
He warned women to be extra cautious when dealing with strangers they meet online, as many people are not who they claim to be.
- Second Woman Raped After a Night Out
In a separate incident over the weekend, police recorded another rape case involving a 27-year-old woman who was attacked after a night out at a local bar.
According to the victim, she and a friend were walking home around 4:00 am when a man approached them and asked to join them. Not suspecting anything sinister, they agreed.
However, as they walked, the man began demanding sex.
Sensing danger, the victim’s friend managed to run away, leaving her behind. Seizing the opportunity, the man overpowered and raped her before fleeing the scene.
“We have not yet arrested anyone in connection with the incident, but we are actively searching for the perpetrator,” Letsholathebe said.
He urged women to avoid walking alone at night and to remain cautious of strangers, emphasising that predators often take advantage of vulnerable individuals.
