Sex with Facebook friend adds new twist to Roebuck’s death

Cape Town (IANS): The mysterious death of noted cricket columnist Peter Roebuck took an interesting twist after it was revealed that he allegedly sexually assaulted a friend he met on social networking site Facebook.

Though police remained tight-lipped about the real cause, media reports revealed that there could be a link between the former Somerset captain’s death and an indecent assault charge brought against him Friday. The British cricket writer and television commentator committed suicide at a hotel here Saturday.

‘The purpose of the inquest docket is to determine the circumstances surrounding the death, which will include the time and cause of death,’ National police spokesperson Vishnu Naidoo was quoted as saying by The New Age.

Naidoo refused to reveal any further questions relating to the indecent assault charge.

But The New Age reported that an indecent assault charge case was filed against Roebuck at the Claremont police station.

‘This is the same man who committed suicide at the hotel,’ police officer Malusi Mgxwathi, of the Claremont police station, was quoted as saying by the daily.

The daily also reported that Roebuck jumped to his death when he was informed that a complaint of a sexual nature had been made against him by a friend whom he met on Facebook.

Roebuck, 55, who arrived in Cape Town from Pietermaritzburg earlier last week, allegedly met the 26-year-old male a few days ago. The pair later met at the hotel, where they were allegedly meant to discuss a possible university sponsorship for the male Zimbabwean. Roebuck allegedly tried to seduce the Facebook friend and have sex with him against his will. The man reportedly went to Claremont police station and laid charges of indecent assault against Roebuck. When police confronted Roebuck in his hotel at about 9 p.m. Saturday, with the intention of effecting an arrest, the British man allegedly asked to be allowed to change his clothes. In the process he managed to move close to a window and jumped out. The staff said Roebuck jumped out of a sixth-floor window and landed on the roof of the entrance of the hotel and was killed on the spot.