White River - Mpumalanga police believe that a man accused of raping and murdering a Lowveld veterinarian may have raped a second woman before being arrested, the White River Magistrate's Court heard on Monday.
The man, who cannot be named until he has pleaded to rape, was arrested in December after Dr Rensia de Wet, 46, was found dead in her house at the Nottinghill Equestrian Estate outside White River, a Sapa correspondent reported.
“After De Wet was murdered and raped, the same suspect (may have) raped another woman in Mataffin. In a third incident, (he) was allegedly involved in a housebreaking.
“Police connected him to the crime scene through fingerprints,” said Mbombela police spokesman Warrant Officer Dawie Pretorius on Monday.
The accused faces charges of rape, murder and housebreaking.
He has not been asked to plead to any of the charges.
When he appeared in court on Friday, he disputed police reports that he is 30 years old. He claims to be 20 or 21.
During his appearance on Monday, members of the ANC Women's League and the Democratic Alliance gathered outside the courthouse to express their outrage at De Wet's killing.
She had been raped and stabbed repeatedly.
“We don't need people like him in our community. He shows no respect,” said ANCWL representative Nombuso Thabethe.
DA representative Trudie Morgan called on the court to pass a harsh sentence against the accused.
“...They murder and rape women and get away with it. They must feel the full force of the law,” said Morgan.
The accused would remain in custody until Tuesday when he will appear in the Nelspruit Magistrate's Court for a formal bail application.
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