Former cricketer's rape case dropped

THE rape case involving a former South African cricketer has been dropped for lack of evidence.

State advocate Indra Goberdan said yesterday after studying the docket and consulting with the complainants she was not convinced she could secure a conviction.

The cricketer was accused of raping a married East London businesswoman after a party at Chintsa East on March 1. He gave the woman a lift to her holiday home at Cefani, but police were told he missed the turn to the resort and drove to a farm where the woman was allegedly raped.

A criminal complaint was laid at the Gonubie police station and an investigation launched.

Provincial NPA spokesman Tsepo Ndwalaza said yesterday that "the available evidence is not enough to stand successfully in a court of law".

A spokesman for the complainants, Andre Schoombee, said: "The family have always said they would respect and accept the decision of the SAPS, who dealt with the matter extremely efficiently. And, of course, as a family, we have to accept the decision of the NPA.

"The family is quite happy to just move on. It has been a very tough time for them."

Another police source said DNA samples had helped in making the decision to drop the case.

The former cricketer could not be reached for comment yesterday. - Mike Loewe