A 28-year-old man, dubbed the “birthday rapist”, who was mistakenly released from a Gauteng prison last month, was re-arrested yesterday in Pietermaritzburg.
Mlungisi Mtshali, who faces 120 charges, including rape, fraud, robbery and kidnapping, was released from custody after serving three months in jail for escaping from prison.
Correctional services officials had released him without taking into consideration that he was also in custody awaiting trial for a string of crimes relating to the rape of 12 women.
Spokesman for the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) Mthunzi Mhaga said Mtshali was supposed to appear in court last Wednesday but it was discovered he had been “erroneously released” by correctional services.
Mtshali, who had been at large since February 13, had already threatened witnesses , who “fear for their lives”, Mhaga said.
Mtshali was dubbed “the birthday rapist” because his modus operandi allegedly involved telling young women it was his birthday and inviting them to celebrate with him at a restaurant or bar.
He allegedly would later ask them to accompany him to fetch his sister or a friend, taking a metered taxi into Hillbrow or central Joburg.
Lured
It is alleged that Mtshali would then lure the woman into a hotel room under the pretext of fetching his sister, the friend or his luggage, and rape her.
Mhaga said the NPA was making arrangements for Mtshali to appear in the Johannesburg Regional Court tomorrow.
“We are hoping that we will get all the witnesses, so we can proceed with the trial on Monday,” he said.
“We are commending the police for their tireless effort to ensure he was arrested and behind bars in such a short space of time.”
