PRETORIA – The South African Police Service (SAPS) in Mpumalanga on Saturday warned community members against opening false sexual abuse cases as two women were sentenced for perjury this week.
“Just recently, on Monday, 13 July 2020, the Mhala Magistrate's Court sentenced 19-year-old Lungile Lubisi to a fine of R8000 or 12 months imprisonment for opening a false case against her boyfriend. The court heard that on 13 May 2020 Lubisi claimed she was raped by her 27-year-old boyfriend during her visit to his home in Rolle Trust, Thulamahashe, on 8 February,” said Mpumalanga SAPS spokesperson Brigadier Leonard Hlathi.
He said the boyfriend, after hearing that he was under scrutiny, handed himself over to police, with Lubisi accompanying him.
“Police then questioned him [the boyfriend] about the authenticity of the allegations levelled against him, where he vehemently refuted the claims and informed police that their sexual encounter was consensual. In her response, Lubisi changed her tune and vindicated her boyfriend by informing police that indeed she had consensual sex with her boyfriend.”
The police then opened a case of perjury against Lubisi.
Hlathi said that 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. During the tour of the investigation, police unravelled the truth about her claims when it surfaced that she voluntarily visited the man and they had unprotected consensual sex,” said Hlathi.
“They police further discovered that she had opened a case of rape in order to source contraceptive pills from the local hospital.”
Mpumalanga police commissioner Lt-Gen Mondli Zuma emphasized that opening a false case was detrimental, because it denied other community members who were in need the opportunity to be served by police.
“The community should know that when a case is opened it is given the necessary attention and resources are allocated accordingly. Therefore, it is utmost imperative to refrain from opening false cases, as that has adverse consequences,” said Zuma.