Sex accused back in India after ‘bungle’

THE National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) has accused the police of bungling a case in which an Indian athlete accused of indecent assault was allowed to fly back home.

The Mumbai-based runner, who came to South Africa last week to participate in his first Comrades Marathon, was accused of fondling a 25-year-old Pietermaritzburg woman in the aircraft en route.

She opened a case of indecent assault against him at the Loop Street police station in Pietermaritzburg.

The runner was arrested at his Durban hotel on Sunday evening after completing the race. The case was transferred to the OR Tambo police station and the accused was expected to make an appearance in court in Gauteng.

But the spokesman for the NPA, Nathi Mncube, said the docket was incomplete and could not be placed on the roll at the Kempton Park Regional Court.

“There was no indication that any individual was charged in this matter and the necessary documentation to proceed further was not complete,” said Mncube.

Police spokesman Brigadier Neville Malila failed to respond to queries.

South African Airways spokesman Tlali Tlali said the incident had been brought to the airline’s attention. The victim was given an opportunity to lay a charge when she landed at OR Tambo airport but she did not do so.

“Had this been the victim’s choice, the commander of the aircraft would have alerted the police to arrest the alleged perpetrator. The option to report the matter was presented to her again before landing,” said Tlali.

He said SAA had conducted an internal investigation — staff were interviewed and flight reports studied.

Amit Sheth, a representative of the group of Indians who ran the Comrades this year, said the alleged sex pest was relieved to be at home with his family in Mumbai.

“He told me the police had given him permission to leave South Africa,” said Sheth. “Last week, 20 of us travelled together — none of us heard anything about these allegations on the plane or even after we landed.

“We were all together when we got our luggage and boarded a domestic flight to Durban. It came as a surprise when these allegations surfaced and he was taken in for questioning.”

He said the man, a human resources manager at an air-conditioning company, was “extremely upset” about the allegations.

“This man is a devoted runner and trained for one year in preparation for the Comrades. It would have been stupid to jeopardise his hard work and sacrifice. He did say he was deeply hurt by the allegations, which have caused tensions in his marriage,” said Sheth. There was no indication any individual was charged in this matter and necessary documentation to proceed further was not complete