Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana says he received a phone call from someone pretending to be a police general who asked for money in return for the sexual assault case to ‘disappear’. Photo: GCIS / Flickr
Godongwana says allegations are attempts of extortion
Minister Enoch Godongwana believes the sexual assault allegations are creations of third parties and attempts of extortion.
Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana says he received a phone call from someone pretending to be a police general who asked for money in return for the sexual assault case to ‘disappear’. Photo: GCIS / Flickr
Minister of Finance Enoch Godongwana said the sexual assault allegations made against him are creations of third parties and attempts of extortion.
Godongwana has been accused of sexual assault
The minister was responding to allegations made by a 23-year-old woman. The woman works as a masseuse at a luxury lodge in Kruger National Park. She recently told authorities that Godongwana fondled her after his wife left the room.
Since the allegations were publicised, the Minister has denied them. According to Godongwana, his wife was in the room throughout his massage. A Sunday Times report stated that the alleged victim’s uncle claimed she was given a R400 tip by Godongwana before he made the alleged advances.
Godongwana admitted to giving the tip but stated it was for the alleged victim to split with her colleague who provided a massage for the Minister’s wife the day before.
A peculiar phone call attempted to extort the minister
Godongwana also spoke about a phone call he received while giving a statement to the police. According to the Minister, someone called him pretending to be a police general. The unknown person told Godongwana that if he deposited R200 000 to a specific account the case could disappear.
The minister stated that the police discovered that the ‘police general’ who called him did not exist and the matter was reported, reports EWN.
‘I will not step down’ – Finance Minister responds after police interrogation
Previously, it was reported that Minister of Finance Enoch Godongwana says he will not step down from his portfolio as the allegations of sexual assault levelled against him are nothing but a smear campaign.
Godongwana has been embroiled in a sexual assault scandal where he allegedly sexually harassed a masseuse. The incident allegedly happened at a Kruger National Park hotel while the Minister was on vacation earlier this month.
Police finally interrogated the Finance Minister on Thursday following a request by the National Prosecuting Authority for a warning statement. Godongwana admits that he was indeed at the Kruger National Park area on 9 August when the alleged incident happened. Read the full story here.
