Linden Town Week beauty contestant alleges rape attempt

Apr 28, 2009 News

…coordinator in custody

A coordinator of the Miss Linden Town Week pageant is currently in police custody, for allegedly attempting to rape one of the delegates vying for the coveted title of “Miss Linden”.
The delegate, a 17-year-old, said that she was already in the boat on her way home, after spending some time on the river wall when the accused reportedly called her on her mobile phone.

“He told me that I could come to his office to uplift my cheque, which I had earlier asked him for.
I had asked him whether I could collect it in the morning, but when he called he said he didn’t know if he would wake up in time, so I had better collect it.

“I decided to go, because I trusted him- I never expected him to do anything like that,” the victim said.
She said that when she got to the office, she and the coordinator engaged in harmless chit-chat, then as she attempted to leave, he grabbed her, locked the door and pinned her in the chair.
She said that he then started to kiss her and fondle her breast.
The young woman said that she was only saved by a loud knocking on the door, which prompted the coordinator to let go of her to open the door.

She said that she took the opportunity to run into the bathroom and cry.
The young woman said she called her aunt while she was in the bathroom, and related the incident to her- then while on her way out, she heard the man and his paramour arguing about why he had locked the door.
The teen’s aunt said, “I was asleep when my phone rang, and my niece screamed, “Auntie this guy just tried to rape me”, and I said, which guy, and she said, “the coordinator.”
“I immediately called the rest of the family, and then I went and collected my niece and took her to the police station”.

The police reportedly called the coordinator, after the report was made, but a female answered his phone and said he was not there.
His sister and his paramour subsequently turned up at the station, and tried to engage the victim’s family in conversation, telling them that the man would never do anything like that.
“My aunt then asked them, if he is so innocent, then why doesn’t he come and defend himself?”
The young woman said that they were all told to return to the station yesterday morning.

The accused was subsequently taken into police custody when he turned up at the Mackenzie police station yesterday morning.
There was also a confrontation with the victim who repeated the report she had made to the police.
The man reportedly denied the allegations. Police are continuing their investigations.

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