Teen in court for false rape report

By Michelle Gwizi

A 15-year-old girl from Bulawayo confessed in court that she was forced to lie that her stepfather had raped her.

Bulawayo regional magistrate Ms Sibonginkosi Mnkandla then withdrew the charges against the 26-year-old accused.

The accused had spent days in remand prison and was only granted bail a day before charges against him were withdrawn.

The stepdaughter told the court that her grandmother had forced her to lie because she does not like the accused.

The court heard the accused is a gardener and lives in the same house with the girl as well as her mother who is his wife in Matsheumhlophe suburb. The Chronicle