The man believed to be behind a series of rapes and burglaries that have haunted the communities of Virginia, Meloding, and Makwane has been named and is behind bars.
Thato Sharack Leeto (28) appeared in the Virginia Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday, 26 March. His case was postponed to 30 April for further investigation.
“Leeto is now facing multiple charges, including eight counts of rape, following an extensive investigation,” says Sgt Mahlomola Kareli, Free State police spokesperson.
Between mid 2018 and late 2022, the Virginia community experienced a series of housebreakings, common robberies, house robberies and thefts – creating a climate of fear.
During this period, eight cases of rape, housebreaking, house robbery and theft were registered in the Virginia and Meloding area.
In 2023, the Forensic Science Laboratory in Pretoria provided a forensic investigative lead, linking an unknown individual to cases in
Makwane and Qwaqwa. The dockets were assigned to Const. Mosioua Ntholeng, an investigator attached to the police’s Serial and Electronic Crime Investigations (SECI) unit in Bloemfontein.
He meticulously re-interviewed the victims, revisited and reconstructed crime scenes and diligently followed up on all information received.
This comprehensive approach led to the identification of a 28-year-old from Excelsior as a primary suspect.
Further investigation revealed that the suspect had a prior arrest record for housebreakings in Virginia, Welkom and Excelsior, exhibiting a similar modus operandi (MO) to the serial rapist.
A buccal sample, a method of collecting DNA from cells scraped from the inside of a person’s cheek, was obtained, which confirmed his identity.
The suspect, Leeto, was visited at Winburg Prison on 24 March. He faces eight rape charges.
Additionally, he has been identified as a suspect in two other cases of burglary that happened in Welkom and Virginia in 2023, based on fingerprint evidence.
