Cape Town – A suspended Bolt driver accused of rape appeared in Randburg Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday and is reportedly expected to face additional charges, as more complainants come forward.
According to News24, the 25-year-old male suspect was arrested last week on charges of kidnapping, rape, and robbery with aggravating circumstances.
This came after a woman, Siya Lulama Kotelo, took to social media in February to claim that a Bolt driver had sexually assaulted one of her friends.
The suspect is charged with two counts of rape, two counts of kidnapping, and two counts of robbery. However, two more complainants have come forward, and four additional charges are expected to be added to the suspect’s charge sheet, the report said.
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Phindi Mjonondwane, regional spokesperson for the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), said the charges would be increased to ten counts once the anticipated kidnapping and rape charges were added.
Mjonondwane also said that the NPA will oppose the suspect’s release on bail.
Meanwhile, the e-hailing company is alleged to have offered “a month of discounted rides and food vouchers” to “customers who reported sexual assault, abuse, robbery, or attempted murder”, according to The Citizen.
This came as scores of women came on Twitter to tell of their horrific experiences while using the e-hailing service, the report said.
ALSO READ: WATCH | Anele Mdoda takes Bolt to task after a driver allegedly raped a client
According to one victim, Reabetswe Sehulare, who was allegedly raped by one of the company’s drivers, Bolt did not address her complaint or account for the driver, who they claimed was not registered with the company.
According to IOL, there are many people online who rent out their Bolt profiles for a fee. This trend has come to light as a result of the numerous criminal activities allegedly committed by Bolt drivers, particularly those targeting female passengers.
An online petition against Bolt has been created and is being circulated on social media, demanding that the e-hailing service improve its driver vetting.
So far, the petition has garnered over 100 000 signatures and counting.
Bolt itself has maintained that it takes accusations of sexual harassment towards e-hailing passengers very seriously.
“When a serious allegation is made against a driver, such as sexual assault, Bolt immediately blocks the driver’s account,” The citizen quoted Bolt’s regional manager Gareth Taylor as saying.
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Compiled by Sinothando Siyolo
