Johannesburg man Victor Mokoena sentenced to life for luring women via fake modelling offers on social media

Fake creative

Victor Mokoena, 26, was convicted of four counts of rape, as well as attempted murder, robbery with aggravating circumstances, assault with intent to do grievous bodily harm and pointing of an object resembling a firearm.

According to the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), Mokoena operated in and around Johannesburg between March 2021 and October 2024, presenting himself as a photographer or promoter when communicating with young women through Facebook and Instagram.

He reportedly used offers of modelling, promotional and photoshoot opportunities to arrange meetings with his victims. Once they arrived at the agreed locations, Mokoena took them to secluded areas, where he raped and assaulted them.

In some instances, the NPA said he strangled victims, threatened them with an object resembling a firearm and robbed them of their belongings. He also allegedly deleted conversations and contact details from their phones.

The investigation linked several cases through similarities in Mokoena's modus operandi and digital evidence obtained from the victims. Investigators also established that he had used different names when communicating with women.

Further investigation by Sergeant Nedombeloni ultimately linked the various cases to Mokoena.

The case brings attention to an aspect of entering the creative industries that increasingly takes place online: how aspiring talent encounters photographers, promoters and potential opportunities.

For women seeking opportunities in modelling, media, entertainment and promotions, social platforms can form part of the route through which professional contacts are made and opportunities are presented. In this case, the NPA said that professional context was used by Mokoena to gain access to his victims.

Thabo Bester

The case also bears similarities to the earlier case of Thabo Bester, who was dubbed the “Facebook rapist” after using the platform to lure women with promises of modelling opportunities. Bester was convicted of rape and murder and sentenced to life imprisonment.

The two cases are unrelated and involve different circumstances and crimes. However, both demonstrate how an identity presented online can differ significantly from an individual's real-world identity.

In the Mokoena investigation, digital evidence ultimately helped investigators connect separate cases. Similarities in his communications and modus operandi, together with evidence obtained from victims, assisted the investigation in establishing his identity.

Mokoena was sentenced to life imprisonment on each of the four rape counts. He received a further 15 years for robbery with aggravating circumstances, two years for assault with intent to do grievous bodily harm and one year for pointing an object resembling a firearm. The sentences on the remaining counts will run concurrently with the life sentences.

State Advocate Hope Zwane, in aggravation of sentence, submitted that Mokoena's deliberate planning and persistence in identifying and luring his victims to secluded locations demonstrated that he posed a danger to society.

The court concurred with the State's submissions and found that Mokoena had treated his victims with disdain and used derogatory language towards them.

The NPA welcomed the sentences and commended the investigating officers and prosecution team for linking the various cases and securing Mokoena's conviction.

It has also urged members of the public, particularly young people, to exercise caution when responding to unsolicited offers or opportunities on social media and to verify individuals' identities before meeting them in person.