Mandela's grandson charged with rape

JOHANNESBURG, South Africa, Aug. 19 (UPI) -- Mbuso Mandela, grandson of Nelson Mandela, was charged with the rape of a girl, 15, in a Johannesburg, South Africa, court.

Mandela, 24, allegedly raped the victim in a restaurant lavatory, and made a brief appearance in Johannesburg Magistrates Court earlier this week. He has not entered a plea, and will remain in custody until Friday, when a bail application will be made.

Police spokesman Mashadi Selepe said the alleged incident occurred Aug. 7, and was reported Aug. 14. Addressing media reports that Winnie Mandela, Nelson Mandela's former wife and Mbuso Mandela's grandmother, attempted to interfere with the police investigation by sending a bodyguard, posing as a police officer, to the victim's home, Selepe said, "That was never brought to our attention nor reported."

A spokesman for the girl's family said Winnie Mandela asked for time to deal with the issue, but "instead, Winnie's bodyguard went to the family pretending to be a cop. The father was told there was no need to arrest the suspect, but when the father asked to see his badge, he didn't have one. It turned out he had been sent by Winnie."

Nelson Mandela died in 2013, leaving 17 grandchildren. One Mandla Mandela, was convicted of assaulting a motorist in a road-rage incident earlier this year. Another, Zoleka Mandela, told of sexual abuse, alcohol and drug addiction and a suicide attempt. Tow of Nelson Mandela's daughters disputed control of their father's wealth in a court case which was eventually dropped.