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A 57-year-old woman is behind bars for allegedly coercing her young niece to make a false rape claim against the child’s stepfather.
Gauteng police spokesperson, Colonel Dimakatso Sello, said the woman was arrested by members of the Mamelodi Family Violence, Child Protection, and Sexual Offences Unit on Thursday on a charge of perjury.
"According to a preliminary report, the woman allegedly forced her 11-year-old niece to open a false rape against her stepfather in 2021. The stepfather was then arrested and appeared before the court," Sello said.
However, she said further investigation revealed that the niece “was influenced by her aunt to falsely accuse her stepfather of raping her.
Sello said the woman would appear in court soon.
She also warned the public against making false allegations saying that "perjury is a criminal offence which is punishable by law."
