LANGKAWI: Police arrested a 19-year-old youth, believed to be a serial rapist who had tricked victims via social media and was on the police wanted list for the past six months.
The suspect, known as 'Soleh', who was arrested with his latest rape victim in a car, confessed to being involved in 10 rape cases which involved the use of violence.
Langkawi district police chief Superintendent Dr Che Ghazali Che Awang said the suspect's modus operandi was to chat up his victims through social media platforms such as WeChat, Facebook, and Instagram, then trap them before raping them.
"After getting to know the victims on social media, the suspect, who is a former student at a public institution of higher learning, will invite the victims to meet at an appointed location.
"After reaching an isolated and quiet place or in the car, the victim will be strangled and beaten up before being raped," he said at a press conference here today.
Che Ghazali said after raping the victim, the suspect would then delete all personal information and communication in the victim's mobile phone to avoid being detected by authorities.
The suspect, who is also a former hotel staff, has been remanded for a week and is being investigated under Section 376 of the Penal Code.