Molefe's sex probe dropped

2003-09-15 23:54

Johannesburg - Investigations against North West Premier Popo Molefe on allegations that he molested his 10-year-old daughter at his house in Mafikeng would not be pursued anymore, the National Directorate of Public Prosecutions said on Monday.

Molefe was accused by his estranged wife Boitumelo of sexually abusing his daughter.

A spokesperson for the NDPP, Sipho Ngwema, said the family of the girl had been informed that the information that the NDPP had on the table was not strong enough to charge anybody.

"We had insufficient information and we cannot charge anyone."

Molefe's spokesperson Cornelius Monama said: "It will be in the best interest of the child for the premier not to comment any further on this matter."

He said Molefe had decided not to comment and referred all the questions to the NDPP office.

On March 15, Molefe called a press conference in Johannesburg saying the accusations were part of his former wife's "unstable history of making false allegations".

The accusations had appeared on a weekly newspaper on March 14.

The allegations surfaced more than a year ago when divorce proceedings between the couple were instituted. The divorce became final in February this year after a settlement was reached.

Molefe said his former wife initially claimed under oath that he had forced her and their daughter to leave the house and demanded the right to return.

"No mother would demand the right to return a 10-year-old child to an alleged child molester."

- SAPA