FREE STATE — A wanted rape suspect, identified as 46-year-old Kenosi William Lechoko, has been apprehended in Bloemfontein by a provincial tracking team after evading authorities for over a decade. The arrest concludes a lengthy manhunt for the Chris Hani resident, who had been a fugitive since 2010.
The tracking team successfully located and cornered the suspect on the morning of Friday, July 3, 2026. The intensive operation culminated at approximately 11:15 AM in the Jaggersfontein Central Business District (CBD), where Lechoko was taken into police custody.
Lechoko was originally placed on the wanted list in connection with a sexual assault incident that occurred in Kopanong in 2010. According to police reports, the suspect allegedly coerced a 36-year-old female acquaintance into his home following an evening of drinking and subsequently raped her. The victim managed to escape the residence and immediately filed a report at the Kopanong police station.
Following the assault, Lechoko fled the area, successfully avoiding law enforcement for over a decade until his capture. He remains in police custody and is scheduled to make an appearance at the Bloemfontein Magistrate’s Court to formally face charges of rape.