Cape town police issue arrest warrant for elderly alleged rapist
Sylvester Manewyk, aged 62, failed to show up for his next court appearance on charges of raping a six-year-old girl.
CAPE TOWN, May 27 (ANA) – Police in Cape Town have issued an arrest warrant for a man in his sixties accused of raping a six-year-old girl after he failed to show up for his next court appearance.
Sylvester Manewyk, aged 62, is being sought by the Delft family violence, child protection and sexual offences unit after his initial arrest for the alleged rape, Western Cape police spokesman Captain FC van Wyk said in a statement on Friday.
Manewyk originally appeared in the Bellville magistrate’s court before his case was transferred to the Parow regional court where he was due to appear on May 3. Manewyk however failed to show up.
“It is suspected that he could be in the Delft, Bonteheuwel and Manenberg areas,” van Wyk said, calling for anyone with information on Manewyk’s whereabouts to contact the investigating officer Detective Sergeant Dale Franks on 072 145 4163 or 082 522 1040.
In a separate incident, police attached to the Boland K9 Unit arrested three suspects travelling to Cape Town in a bus after receiving information about their involvement in a business robbery in Alice in the Eastern Cape.
According to van Wyk, officers spotted the bus and directed it towards a weigh-bridge. They spotted the suspects on the bus and while searching their luggage found a 9mm Star pistol and 25 rounds of ammunition along with stolen cigarettes and toiletries in one bag.
In another bag, police found a 9mm Retay pistol, cigarettes, toiletries, R800 (US$57) cash and a pot full of coins while in the third cigarettes, toiletries, an undisclosed amount of airtime vouchers, R710 in cash and a holder full of coins were found.
The suspects, aged 23, 24, and 25, were arrested on charges of possession of unlicensed firearms and suspected stolen property and are being detained at the Rawsonville police station pending their appearance in court.
– African News Agency (ANA), Editing by Stella Mapenzauswa
