Man accused of kidnapping woman is charged with rape, bail opposed

A Pietermaritzburg man who allegedly abducted his neighbour after duping her into believing her dog had run away has been charged with two counts of rape.

The 34-year-old man, who also faces a count of kidnapping, appeared in the Pinetown magistrate's court on Thursday.

Due to the rape charges, neither the accused nor the victim can be identified.

During proceedings the court heard the investigating officer had submitted an affidavit citing reasons for the state's opposition to bail.

Defence attorney Wesley Rodgers said they provided the state with an affidavit detailing his client's new address, which showed his client had moved away from the immediate vicinity of the woman.

Rodgers told TimesLIVE the charges of rape were opened at the Hillcrest police station on Monday while a case of kidnapping had been registered at the Mountain Rise police station.

Magistrate Queen Khuzwayo postponed the matter to August 20 for a formal bail application. The accused will remain in custody at the Hillcrest police station.

Last week the family of the 28-year-old woman raised the alarm when they could not reach her on Thursday.

Her flat in Allandale was unlocked and her cellphone switched off.

News of the woman's disappearance was circulated on social media. A missing person case was later changed to kidnapping as a result of CCTV footage.

A search for the woman was successful when she was found unharmed at a bed and breakfast establishment in Durban on Saturday.

Police launched a hunt for the man, who was arrested on Sunday evening when he was found at a self-catering apartment in the Shelly Beach area on KwaZulu-Natal's south coast.

TimesLIVE