Court hears how alleged serial rapist resisted arrest, threatened to sue officer

JOHANNESBURG - The Pretoria High Court sitting at the Benoni Magistrates Court has heard how an alleged serial rapist resisted arrest and threatened to sue the officer who nabbed him for catching the wrong guy.

Sipho Phiri was arrested in January 2023 by investigating officer Sergeant Kaizer Mbele.

Mbele, a Benoni South African Police Service (SAPS) member, had 37 dockets at his disposal from cases opened against the accused from various police stations in Ekurhuleni.

Phiri’s modus operandi was allegedly offering women a lift in his vehicle and threatening them with his firearm before raping them.

He is facing more than 100 charges of rape, kidnapping, pointing of a firearm, fraud, obstruction of justice, and forcing someone to witness a sexual act.

On Tuesday, during Phiri’s trial, Mbele told the court that he followed a lead to Putfontein in January 2023, where he saw the suspect driving around slowly.

A chase quickly ensued. Mbele relayed to the court what happened next: “Then I took him out, and I told them I’m arresting him as a person of interest, and I explained to him his rights.”

He added that Phiri’s firearm was confiscated during his arrest.

“Then his response was, 'no, you are arresting the wrong person, and you will lose a lot of money' because he is going to sue me.”