Interpol South Africa arrests two Turkish fugitives in KZN and Cape Town over GBV-related charges

Two Turkish fugitives wanted in Türkiye for separate gender-based violence-related offences have been arrested in South Africa in operations led by Interpol South Africa, with one suspect apprehended in KwaZulu-Natal and another in Cape Town, police said over the weekend.

The latest arrest took place in Isipingo, KwaZulu-Natal, on Thursday, 1 October 2026, when Interpol South Africa’s Fugitive Investigation Team, supported by Crime Intelligence, members of Isipingo police station and private security personnel, tracked down and arrested a 40-year-old Turkish national wanted by authorities in Türkiye.

The South African Police Service (SAPS) said the suspect was sought by Turkish authorities to stand trial on charges including rape, sexual assault, kidnapping, malicious damage to property and assault with intent to cause grievous bodily harm.

The allegations stem from a case reported to the Eskişehir Police Department in Türkiye. Authorities allege that the suspect kidnapped his then-fiancée in 2010 and repeatedly raped her over a period of several days. He is also accused of violently assaulting the woman by repeatedly striking her head against a wall, allegedly causing permanent physical and psychological injuries.

The victim was 22 years old at the time of the alleged offences.

After the investigation, the suspect allegedly fled Türkiye and remained out of reach of authorities until he was traced to Isipingo in KwaZulu-Natal.

The SAPS said Interpol’s National Central Bureau in Pretoria received an extradition request from Turkish authorities and subsequently secured and executed a warrant in terms of the relevant legislation, leading to the fugitive’s arrest.

The suspect appeared before the Umlazi Magistrate’s Court on Friday, 2 October 2026, where he is facing extradition proceedings initiated by the Republic of Türkiye.

The arrest forms part of ongoing efforts by Interpol South Africa and its international law enforcement partners to locate and arrest suspects who attempt to evade justice by crossing international borders.

Police noted that the Isipingo operation follows another recent success involving a Turkish fugitive arrested in Cape Town last month.

In that case, a former primary school principal was arrested on 21 September 2026 in Cape Town after being linked to charges of sexual assault, kidnapping and intimidation involving a nine-year-old child in Türkiye.

The former principal has since appeared before the Cape Town Magistrate’s Court and is also the subject of extradition proceedings.

The SAPS said the arrests demonstrate the effectiveness of international policing cooperation and reaffirm South Africa’s commitment to working with global law enforcement agencies to ensure that fugitives wanted for serious crimes are brought before the courts.