MOPANI – The police in Mopani have embarked on a manhunt, following an incident that took place at the Lulekani Risava Farm last Saturday afternoon, when six girls between the ages of 16 and 19 were raped.

According to the police spokesperson in the area, Capt Moatshe Ngoepe, the girls were busy collecting some firewood on the farm when the incident occurred. The statement indicates that the suspect emerged from the bushes and confronted the girls.

He allegedly demanded to see a license to collect firewood from the girls, saying he was a ranger. The girls told him that they did not possess a license and he then escorted them to the dense bushes.

On arrival in the bushes, he ordered one of the girls to remove the ropes from the bundles of the firewood that the girls were carrying. The girl was allegedly ordered to tie her companions' legs and their hands behind their backs with the pieces of rope that were removed from the firewood bundles.

The girl who was ordered to tie her friends with pieces of rope was the first to be raped. Thereafter the suspect raped the other five girls one after the other.

According to the police statement, one of the victims requested to go to relieve herself and she never returned. The man then became suspicious that the girl might report the matter to the police and he left the girls tied and vanished in the bushes. The search for the man was still continuing at the time of going to press.