Mandela lawyer looking for key witness in rape case

A missing statement from a key witness has allegedly hampered the case of Nelson Mandela's 24-year-old grandson.

The witness is said to have overheard Mandela and a teenage girl talking before the alleged rape took place.

According to Sunday Sun, Nico Swart who is representing Mandela, told the court he needed more time to find the witness who could bolster Mandela's claim that the sex was consensual.

Mandela was arrested a week ago after a girl instituted a rape case against him. She said he raped her in a toilet at a popular restaurant in Greenside, Johannesburg. Winnie Mandela is accused of sending her bodyguard to see the girl's family. The teen's father said the bodyguard had pretended to be a cop to get information from them.

Mandela was denied bail and is set to appear in court again on 25 August.