Mbombela – A woman who claimed she was painted and raped was not truthful during her testimony, the Nelspruit Regional Court ruled on Friday.

Magistrate André Geldenhuys found the man accused of raping her, Sibusiso Siboza, 26, from Matsulu in Mpumalanga, not guilty, a Sapa correspondent reported.

He pleaded not guilty and said the sex was consensual.

“In her testimony, the victim testified when they went to the accused’s mother’s home, she was raped and later paint was poured over her,” Geldenhuys said.

“But in her statement to the police, she was painted before the rape occurred.”

Geldenhuys said the woman’s evidence was not satisfactory and not truthful in all aspects.

“She was never reliable. At one stage, she refused to answer questions and contradicted herself. She even had to be forced to answer some of the questions.”

The 24-year-old woman was too drunk to remember what exactly happened that night, the magistrate said.

As a result, he gave Siboza the benefit of the doubt.

The evidence showed Siboza and the woman knew each other well and had been to various places to drink liquor.

Medical certificates also did not support the woman’s version of events.

– SAPA