ERMELO – The provincial police commissioner, Lt Gen Semakaleng Manamela, warned citizens sternly not to open false cases.

According to her, this can subsequently land them behind bars.

The warning followed the arrest of a 33-year-old man on October 4, who had allegedly fabricated a case of hijacking on September 23.

According to a police report, the suspect is said to have opened a car-jacking case. “

He informed the police that his vehicle, a Toyota Hilux, had been hijacked in Ermelo at about 11:35,” Brig Selvy Mohlala, a provincial police spokesman, said.

He said the Ermelo police had assembled their resources to bring those responsible to book, when they discovered inconsistencies in some of the information the suspect had initially given in his statement.

The information did not tally with that he had given them when they interviewed him.

According to Brig Mohlala, the investigation team realised no such incident had taken place on the given day.
“The police explained the discrepancies in his statements and informed him that his actions were unlawful. He was subsequently arrested and a charge of perjury was laid against him,” he said.

He added that the suspect was expected to appear before the Ermelo Magistrate’s Court soon.

Meanwhile, investigations continue.

Lt Gen Manamela informed the community that opening false cases have a negative impact in the fight against crime, in which resources and manpower that were supposed to have been directed to the areas where they are needed most, are misdirected and wasted.