SA – On Wednesday, July 20, the Durban Magistrate’s Court issued a warning to a 22-year-old woman. She was charged with perjury after reporting a false rape to police earlier this month.

Lieutenant-Colonel Nqobile Gwala of the South African Police Service (SAPS) said the woman was arrested after returning to Sydenham police station to withdraw a rape case.

When the accused filed the case on July 18, she told police that her 29-year-old ex-boyfriend broke into her house and raped her on July 17. She went on to say that her boyfriend had assaulted her and had locked her in the house.

On the 19th of July, she returned to Sydenham SAPS and requested that the case be dropped. However, after interviewing her, the investigating officer concluded that she was unable to provide a reasonable explanation for her request.

“The ex-boyfriend’s acquaintance was interviewed and he revealed to police the events of the night that the alleged rape was supposed to have occurred.

“He indicated that his friend was going to leave the woman for someone else and she threated to open a case of rape against the man if he left her,” said Gwala.

When confronted with the acquaintance’s testimony, the woman confessed to police and was arrested for perjury.