THOHOYANDOU - A young man who was wrongfully arrested for abduction last year March 21, was finally given his freedom last week Friday, when his case was withdrawn by the Thohoyandou Regional Court.

Shumani Joseph Rambuwani (28) was arrested by the Thohoyandou police and kept in the cells for five months, when a concerned lawyer volunteered to pay his R1 000 bail.

Rambuwani’s arrest came after he had failed to pay R8 000 which was demanded by his father in-law after he saw him walking with his daughter, Rambuwani’s girlfriend. During that time, Rambuwani’s father in-law demanded that he (Rambuwani) should pay the lobola within a week or else he would report him to the police.

After Rambuwani was arrested, it later emerged that his girlfriend was pregnant and his father had chased her away from home. She then went to Rambuwani’s home and stayed with his parents as their daughter in-law.

Since Rambuwani was released on bail, his case was postponed five times until on Friday when the case was dismissed. Speaking to Mirror a few hours after his case was withdrawn, Rambuwani said he was happy that he would now be able to concentrate on his career, as an athlete.

"This case was very upsetting to me. There was no single day that passed without thinking about it. Now I will be able to live my normal life," said Rambuwani.