A 56-year-old manager of a Bushbuckridge funeral parlour in Mpumalanga, accused of raping a 30-year-old woman, has been released on bail. 

The accused, who can not be named before he pleads to the charge, was arrested on Wednesday after he allegedly locked the employee in an office and raped her. 

According to Brig Leonard Hlathi of the Mpumalanga police, the accused - towards knock-off time - sent the victim to buy him groceries at the store and when she came back she found the manager alone with all the staff having left the business premises. 

“The victim told police that after seeing that the manager was alone in the building, she went to the toilet to phone her husband about the situation. She therefore went to the office where the accused locked the door and raped her,” said Hlathi.

When the victim’s husband arrived at the funeral parlour, he was told about the incident and a rape case was opened. 

Hlathi said the victim also told the police that it was not for the first time the manager raped her. 

“She further said the manager had raped her twice in the bushes at Acornhoek in 2019,” said Hlathi. 

Spokesperson of the National Prosecutions Authority in Mpumalanga,\ Monica Nyuswa told Sowetan that the man was released on conditions that he doesn’t not set foot at the funeral parlour or threaten the witness. 

“His bail conditions are that he doesn’t go to the funeral parlour or threaten the witnesses. The case was postponed to allow further police investigations,” said Nyuswa.