Gqeberha – A 56-year-old United States citizen has been arrested in Gqeberha, Eastern Cape, after being traced by INTERPOL South Africa in connection with allegations of rape and sexual assault of his minor daughter.
The suspect was arrested on Wednesday, 27 May 2026, at his home in Kabega Park following an international manhunt linked to a case reported in the United States in 2017.
According to the South African Police Service, the man is accused of raping his daughter and exchanging explicit messages with her when she was 12 years old.
“The suspect, a USA citizen, was wanted by INTERPOL on charges of rape and sexual assault reported by the victim’s mother to the San Antonio Police Department in 2017,” police said.
Police further stated that after the allegations were investigated in the United States, the suspect fled the country and was later traced to South Africa.
INTERPOL’s National Central Bureau (NCB) in Pretoria coordinated the arrest after receiving an extradition request from the United States, working alongside the Nelson Mandela Bay District Intervention Task Team, Crime Combating Unit, and Mount Road Crime Intelligence.
“The suspect is expected to appear before the Gqeberha Magistrates’ Court on Friday, 29 May 2026, facing an extradition application by the government of the United States of America,” police said.
Authorities confirmed that extradition proceedings will determine whether the suspect will be handed over to US authorities to face prosecution.
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Compiled by Betha Madhomu
