Key word here is accused. Nothing is proven yet so let's not jump to conclusions. Also as asn0 has said, traditional taxis have more rape issues and they have nowhere near the level of record keeping Uber does to help authorities solve these issues.
Why would someone falsely accuse an Uber driver of rape? Humor me.
Why would Uber call in false ride requests to a competitor?
I don't think this is a fair question. Just because you (or any single person) cannot think of a reason, does not mean that a reason does not exist. It doesn't mean a reason exists, either. The point is - we don't know. It's a question and needs an answer before we draw conclusions.
Why would someone falsely accuse anyone of rape? It doesn't make sense, but unfortunately it happens.
We operate under the presumption of innocence until proven guilty. So until the case is fully investigated and a verdict is made I think it's important to make the distinction rather than assume that a rape is true just because it's a horrible act.