Former MMA fighter Patrick Jorge Luindula gave the Advertiser an exclusive side of his story after being accused of raping a woman at a night club in Boksburg.
Despite all the serious allegations against the accused, according to Luindula he was released due to insufficient evidence to prosecute him.
The victim, who claims Luindula sexually assaulted her, opened a case at the Boksburg North police station the following day.
Since then it appears that confusion has surrounded the case.
“I found out about the rape case from a friend who saw it on social media on Sunday 9am while I was at the gym, a one-hour spinning session.
“I got a WhatsApp message with a screenshot of my Facebook profile and my Google image plus a case number and a message that said ‘This guy is being manhunted by the police for raping a girl at Nicci Beach on Friday night’.
“I immediately stopped training, took a shower and went to the Bedfordview police station on Sunday and was told I was wasting their time because I don’t look like a rapist, and I must go to Primrose on Monday.
“So Monday 7am I went to Primrose police station and the officers saw the case and started laughing saying why didn’t I run, I replied, ‘run, why?’. They said there’s no way I am going win this case because they found my DNA in her and she had scratches on her face and hands.
“I responded, ‘It’s fine, let the law take its course, if it’s in God’s plans that I end the remainder of my life in prison as a rapist, let it be, as long as I know I didn’t do it, I am at peace’.
“They laughed at me and sent me to Boksburg police station. I got to Boksburg police station, met a male police busy with his phone. “He asked me what I wanted, I gave him the case number and he looked at it, went to this other office, they confirmed a case of rape was opened but the file was transferred to Boksburg North police station.
“I asked what should I do, they said I should go there, so my fiancee and I once more put the GPS on and made our way to the police station. After two hours of waiting, an officer then assisted us. We met with the captain handling the file and who decides which investigating officer was going to handle the case.
“After approximately another hour of waiting, the investigating officer comes and takes the file and tells me to wait. Two hours later, he returns and we sat in his car… next thing I am still not arrested, instead I am told to go home I’ll be contacted.
“Tuesday morning, I decided to go to the police station and demanded that the right thing to be done, after causing havoc the investigating officer came and brought a DNA check set and did my fingerprints but didn’t take my statement.
“He told me to keep it for court, although I wanted to give one. Then we walk to his car, I get into the back seat; he takes me to the Boksburg court, they take me to the cells and I am locked in.
“Four hours later, some lawyer comes offering help and charging me R3 000. I told him I don’t have money, he then went to my fiancee and told her to ‘organise a very nice expensive lunch, I’ll get your fiance out before 5pm’.
“My fiancee informed him she didn’t have money; later the investigating officer comes and puts me against the wall and takes several pictures of me before ordering me to go back into the cells, and that I would be released to go home soon.
“I asked him about seeing the magistrate. He said there’s no need. After a few minutes, the lawyer comes again with an officer and they told me I am free to go, I refused and said, ‘I was supposed to see the magistrate and be granted bail, why am I being let go?’
“He said it’s not his place to tell me, he asked me to confirm my full name and telephone number and address, and I left. I started to ask around about speaking to a a magistrate and understand why I didn’t see one, and I was just being let go.
“The lawyer then showed me a list with names of people that will see the magistrate, and my name was under the [not on the roll] list.
“I insisted I want to talk to a magistrate, and they eventually sent me to a female one and she told me they felt that the case didn’t have sufficient evidence, and that the investigating officer will continue to investigate and come back to me.
“I responded, ‘It’s December, I had plans to travel back home to see my daughter and family, will I be allowed?’ She responded: ‘Go home and live your life.’”
The Boksburg North police spokesperson Const Justice Ramaube confirmed a case was opened.
