Woman arrested for perjury after fake rape and kidnapping report
KwaZulu-Natal detectives from the Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences Unit have arrested an 18-year-old woman for perjury and defeating the ends of justice following a fabricated report of rape and kidnapping at the Verulam police station on May 2.
The woman initially claimed that she had attended a party with friends in Waterloo when they summoned an e-hailing vehicle for a ride home. However, according to her statement, the driver instead took them to Durban, where she alleged that she surrendered a packet to the occupants of another vehicle.
The complainant stated that she was then taken to a club in Claremont, where she was assaulted, drugged, and raped by multiple men.
In response to the woman’s claims, police opened cases of rape and kidnapping and initiated a search for the purported suspects.
However, as their investigation unfolded, it became clear that the complainant’s narrative was not only implausible but allegedly fabricated.
Under pressure, the young woman confessed to investigators that she had concocted the story out of fear of her mother and an apprehension of community embarrassment.
Following this confession, the woman was arrested and subsequently charged with perjury. On Monday, she appeared in the Verulam Magistrate’s Court where she was released on bail pending further legal proceedings. The incident has sparked a strong rebuke from law enforcement officials.
KZN’s Provincial Commissioner, Lieutenant General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi, articulated the grave concern surrounding false reports, stating, “As police, we are doing everything we can to end the scourge of gender-based violence and all acts of criminality directed towards women and children. We cannot afford to have women reporting imaginary cases for their own benefit.” He emphasized that such actions waste police resources and undermine genuine victims.
Lieutenant General Mkhwanazi warned that those who mislead authorities with false allegations will face the full brunt of the law, which may include civil claims against the police if innocent individuals are arrested based on these lies.
IOL News