Judge Siraj Desai, charged with raping a South African woman in India, is expected to return to South Africa on Sunday, the Foreign Affairs Ministry said on Friday.
Spokesperson Ronnie Mamoepa said that following assistance by the SA High Commissioner in India, travel arrangements for Desai had been finalised.
”Accordingly Justice Desai is expected to touch down in South Africa on Sunday,” Mamoepa said.
It was earlier reported that the judge would return on Saturday.
Desai appeared in court on Friday and was granted bail of R1 500. Mamoepa said the SA High Commission in India had confirmed that Indian authorities had returned Desai’s passport.
It was reported that Mumbai Sessions Court judge ML Pahaliyani released Desai on bail after a brief hearing.
Mamoepa said it was not yet known what would happen to the charge laid against the judge. Salome Isaacs, the woman who accused Desai of raping her, withdrew the charge on Thursday.
In a statement signed by Isaacs and her husband Mark, she said: ”I hereby wish unconditionally to withdraw the allegation of rape against Mr Siraj Desai.”
Desai was arrested by Indian police on Monday after Isaacs (26) an Aids activist, told police the judge raped her in his hotel room when she went to meet him at 3am on Sunday to discuss the next day’s events at the World Social Forum being held in Mumbai.
Desai had denied any wrongdoing. ‒ Sapa