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GEORGE NEWS & VIDEO - DNA samples taken from a serial child rapist years ago, when he was convicted on other charges, made it possible for the police to connect the perpetrator to the rape of eight children from Thembalethu.
Warrant Officer Martin Borg, of the Family Violence Child Protection and Sexual Offences (FCS) unit who led the investigation, said in a media briefing last week the buccal swab system used by the police to obtain DNA samples from all arrestees, was key to the success of this particular conviction.
The buccal process involves taking swabs from the inside of a person's mouth - buccal is a technical adjective relating to the inside of the cheek or mouth.
Ivan Athenkosi Johannes (20) received three life sentences plus 210 years imprisonment in the circuit High Court in George last Tuesday. He was convicted on 17 charges, including eight charges of rape, abduction and robbery with aggravated circumstances. The victims were seven boys aged between 7 and 13, and one girl (11).
A previous conviction on other rape cases elsewhere in the country resulted in Johannes's DNA being captured in the police database. "We didn't have a suspect in the Thembalethu rape cases," said Borg.
"The descriptions given by the victims of the rape suspect differed, which made it very difficult to build a proper profile. However, one woman thought the descriptions given by the children fits the description of a young man who lived behind her. The police found out Johannes worked as a woodcutter in Knysna and would come home to Thembalethu from time to time.
Gideon Nobangela (right), chair of the Men for Change forum for police officers, at a press briefing last week. "We are part of the community and the community is part of us," he said. The forum held a conference in George last weekend. With him is Eden Cluster Commander Major-General Oswald Reddy.
"A buccal smear was taken from the inside of Johannes's mouth and it linked him to two of the cases. We did an ID parade with the rest of the cases and he was positively identified by all the victims - especially by his tattoos. He has very specific tattoo marks on his legs - a diamond and stars - and a dragon on his hand," said Borg. "We arrested him and at once he said, 'I did it'."
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Borg said in the past police struggled with the lengthy wait for DNA. "But now with the buccal system we pick it up very quickly," he said.
In his teens Johannes absconded from a childcare facility in Cape Town, where he was serving time for previous convictions, including child rape. His escape was never reported to the police.
Eden Cluster Commander Major-General Oswald Reddy welcomed the sentence handed to Johannes saying it sends a strong message to all sexual predators. "In the Southern Cape we have a serious challenge with crime against women and children. Rape and other sexual offences are especially problematic," said Reddy.
Members of the Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences Investigations Unit (FCS) with Major-General Oswald Reddy. From left are Capt Siyabonga Nhlanhla Felix Mncwango, WO Martin Borg, Reddy and Capt Matthew Gallant.
Read a related article: Serial child rapist gets 3 life sentences
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