×

We've got news for you.

Register on SowetanLIVE at no cost to receive newsletters, read exclusive articles & more.
Register now

ANC leader faces charge for rape

A young woman was offered R400 by top ANC official in Limpopo to silence her after she was allegedly raped at a hotel in Mokopane on April 6.

The case was only opened nine days later.

The ANC leader in Waterberg region, who cannot be identified as he is yet to plead, was arrested on Wednesday for allegedly raping a 22-year-old woman. He appeared before the Mokopane Magistrate's Court on charges of rape and bribery.

When she tried to open a case against the man, the alleged victim reportedly gave police wrong identity details, including her names and residential addresses.

He is alleged to have lured the unsuspecting job-seeker to a Mokopane hotel after she had approached him for a job.

Prosecutor Selepe Manamela yesterday said the ANC leader gave the woman R400 to silence her after the alleged incident.

The court heard yesterday that the woman was frustrated by allegedly being refused permission to open the case at the nearby Mokopane and Mahwelereng police stations and had to travel to open it in Polokwane, 60km away.

Magistrate Shirley Tlowane granted the ANC leader R1000 bail and referred the matter to the Mokopane Regional Court for November 7 for plea and a trial date.

Prior to Tlowane's decision, the man's lawyer Mphafolane Koma argued that the matter be struck off the roll, saying that his client's arrest was unlawful.

Koma said that the ANC leader had given a warning statement to the police when the case was opened against him. "My client's rights were violated. He cannot be arrested for the second time on a similar offence when he had been so co-operative with the police," said Koma.

He also claimed prosecutors had refused to prosecute his client when he was first arrested in April, but the court objected.

Tlowane said it would not be in the interest of justice to withdraw the case because it was a Schedule 5 offence, which warranted further investigations due to its seriousness.

Police spokesman Lieutenant-Colonel Moatshe Ngoepe yesterday said they had a "water-tight" case against the man.

The ANC in Limpopo said it would give space to the Waterberg regional executive committee to reflect on its leader's arrest "and favour us with recommendations in line with our conference resolutions", according to spokeswoman Khumbudzo Ntshavheni.

"We also wish to emphatically indicate that the ANC doesn't support the abuse of women. Also important is the fact that all citizens must be presumed innocent until proven otherwise by a court of law," she said.

frankm@sowetan.co.za

Would you like to comment on this article?
Register (it's quick and free) or sign in now.

Speech Bubbles

Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.