Knysna store manager up for rape
A Concordia man was in court for a formal bail application recently after being arrested on rape charges, but he was released on a warning to appear on a later date as the alleged victim had withdrawn the case.
As is customary when a case of this nature gets withdrawn, it was referred to the regional court to decide whether to prosecute regardless of the withdrawal.
In an unrelated matter, the man is a manager at one of the major grocery stores in Knysna and was recently investigated by the store for sexual offences after some female staff members filed grievances against him, but he was found not guilty. The alleged victims never laid criminal charges.
Knysna police spokesperson Sergeant Chris Spies said it is alleged the suspect visited the house of the 30-year-old victim on 27 September at Dinangwe, Knysna where he allegedly assaulted the victim and raped her thereafter. “She alerted a friend via cellphone who contacted the police. The police immediately responded to the complaint and found the suspect at her residence where he was arrested,” Spies said. The man was due to be transferred to another store branch at the time of his arrest. He cannot be named because he has not pleaded yet.
At his bail hearing on 30 September, state prosecutor Zukile Mqolo told the court that the alleged victim had withdrawn the case and read out to the court her written reasons for doing so: “I forgive him. I want nothing to do with him and I want to move on with my life.”
Magistrate Zukiswa Hans postponed the matter to 30 October for the regional court’s decision.
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Source: Knysna Plett Herald News