A Soshanguve woman who was arrested and charged with perjury after laying a false claim of rape against her boyfriend has been released on bail.
Police spokesperson Constable Zanele Mtsweni said the woman was released on a R500 bail after appearing in the Soshanguve Magistrate’s Court on Thursday.
She will appear in court again on Wednesday, 11 April.
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Mtsweni said the woman was arrested after confessing to police that she had lied and wished to withdraw her statement.
She warned people planning to open false cases to think twice before coming to the station.
The 24-year-old woman from block UU Soshanguve recently approached the police and alleged that her boyfriend had raped her the previous night.
“The police opened a case against her boyfriend and arranged for her to receive a medical examination from the clinic as per procedure,” said Mtsweni.
When the assigned police detective conducted further investigation, it came to light that she had lied.
“She refused to be examined by a professional nurse, and when questioned she revealed that she had blatantly lied under oath due to an argument she had had with her boyfriend and that the sexual encounter was consensual.”
The woman told police she wished to withdraw her statement.
“This, however, has been noted by the SAPS under a serious light, leading to a case of perjury being opened against her,” Mtsweni said.
“Police cannot emphasise enough the importance of truthful information to be given under oath and will bring anyone who fails to do so to justice.
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“The penalty for perjury can either be a fine or minimum imprisonment of one year to a maximum of 10 years, depending on whether the person can be found guilty of other charges added onto the perjury charge.”
If found guilty, the woman could be sentenced for perjury and for perverting the course of justice, police added.
Mtsweni said this was the first case of this nature at the precinct.
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