Durban man arrested after 'falsely claiming' he was hijacked

28 February 2020 - 12:33 By Suthentira Govender
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A Durban man has been arrested for allegedly opening a false car hijacking case.
A Durban man has been arrested for allegedly opening a false car hijacking case.
Image: 123RF/ scanrail

A Durban man has been charged with perjury after he allegedly claimed he was robbed of his car at gunpoint, when the vehicle was actually impounded after the driver was arrested for drunk driving.

“It is alleged that on February 26 the suspect reported a case of a carjacking at Durban Central. He stated that he was robbed at gunpoint of his vehicle by an unknown suspect,” said police spokesperson Col Thembeka Mbele

An intensive investigation by detectives revealed that the 24-year-old man had not been robbed of the car, but that it was parked at Berea police station, Mbele said.

The man was a passenger, while the driver, who was allegedly under the influence of alcohol, had been taken in by police.

“The vehicle was kept at the police station after the driver was arrested for being intoxicated. A case of perjury was then opened and the suspect was arrested. He is appearing at the Durban magistrate's court today.”

“People who open false cases cannot be tolerated and will be dealt with harshly.

“State resources are being wasted on false cases instead of focusing on genuine cases. All those who still continue to open false cases will be prosecuted,” said KwaZulu-Natal provincial commissioner Lt-Gen Khombinkosi Jula.


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