Courts punish two Mpumalanga women for opening false rape cases
Police have warned women not to open cases such as these, as it prevents real victims from getting police assistance.
Members of the South African Police Services (SAPS) sing and chant during a march against gender-based violence outside the Sunnyside Police station in Pretoria on October 14, 2019. The march led by the men in blue aims to raise awareness on the scourge of violence with a view of mobilising society to play an active role in assisting the police in detecting, preventing and fighting gender-based violence. Picture: AFP / Phill Magakoe
Two Mpumalanga women have been sentenced for opening false rape cases against their boyfriends in two separate incidents.
According to provincial police spokesperson Brigadier Leonard Hlathi, on Monday, the Mhala Magistrate’s Court sentenced 19-year-old Lungile Lubisi to a fine of R8 000, or 12 months’ imprisonment, for opening a false case against her boyfriend.
The court heard that on 13 May, Lubisi claimed her 27-year-old boyfriend raped at his home in Rolle Trust, Thulamahashe, on 8 February.
“After hearing that he was under scrutiny, her boyfriend went to the police station with Lubisi to hand himself over. Police then questioned him about the authenticity of the allegations leveled against him, where he vehemently [denied] the claims and informed police that their sexual encounter was consensual,” Hlathi said.
“In her response, Lubisi… vindicated her boyfriend by informing police that, indeed, she had consensual sex with [him].”
A perjury case was opened against Lubisi.
In a separate incident last month, 20-year-old Thembekile Verlina Sigwili was sentenced to a fine of R500, or 12 months’ imprisonment, wholly suspended for five years, also for opening a false case.
“Sigwili claimed that she was raped on 25 November [2019] by her boyfriend. It surfaced that she voluntarily visited the man and they had unprotected, consensual sex,” Hlathi said.
Police discovered that she opened a rape case to source contraceptive pills from the local hospital.
Mpumalanga police warned the community to desist from opening false cases.
Provincial police commissioner Lieutenant General Mondli Zuma said that opening a false case prevented others from receiving police assistance.
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