Victor Hlungwani

A Limpopo man accused of raping five girls and a woman on three different days appeared briefly in the Malamulele magistrate's court yesterday.

Chucheka Mavasa, 26, of Mukhomi village, allegedly raped the woman after scaring her boyfriend away with a panga on December 26 last year.

When the boyfriend ran away Mavasa allegedly dragged the woman into the bushes and raped her. The next day he allegedly raped four girls aged between 13 and 14.

Mavasa allegedly ambushed the girls in the bush while they were on their way to fetch water at Khalanyoni between Nhombelani and Shihosani villages.

He allegedly raped the four girls when he was still facing a charge of raping a 14-year-old pupil in Mavambe village after forcing her to walk about 55kilometres barefoot to Mashawu near Makhado.

The man had allegedly escaped from a police vehicle while being transported from Matache Prison in Thohoyandou to the Brits magistrate's court. in North West.

He was to have faced other charges of murder and theft.

The police vehicle had a puncture between Malamulele and Giyani. The police are said to have handcuffed him while they changed the tyre.

But Mavasa managed to make a dash for freedom.

Mavasa's case was postponed to October 21 and 22. He was not asked to plead and was remanded in custody.