A 54-year-old, self-employed businessman, Ntokozo Mathe was released on bail by the Durban Magistrate’s Court on Friday, 9 April, after he was charged for raping a 26-year-old female whom he gave a lift to on 8 September last year.
Phumxile Makaula, UMbilo Police communications officer, said: “It is alleged that the rape happened in UMbilo at the suspects residence last year when the accused gave a lift to the young woman from uMlazi who was stranded on West Street around 5pm. The victim claims she had just tried withdrawing cash from an ATM when her card was swallowed by the machine. She alleged that the suspect then offered her a lift home,” said Makaula. Makaula said that the woman alleged that instead of taking her home the suspect drove to his place of residence. “The complainant said that the suspect told her the car he was driving had a mechanical problem and therefore he needed to take another car. She said that when they got into his yard the suspect threatened her with dogs and forced her to get inside the house, and he allegedly raped her repeatedly. Thereafter he forced her to take a bath,” Makaula said. She said that the complainant said the suspect gave her R100 and drove her back to town, dropping her off at the taxi rank. The case has been transferred to the Durban Regional Court.
