A PLOY to either make an insurance claim, or cover up tracks, and domestic disputes which escalate to the point of involving law enforcement, can result in a criminal sentence for those who ultimately open false cases to achieve any of these ends.

These are the words of caution from the acting station commander at the Pinetown SAPS, Colonel Ronnie Heeralall, who stressed that false cases place a strain on limited resources.

Heeralall highlighted that these false cases also have the potential to cause panic within communities, and adversely impact crime statistics, which has its subsequent domino effects.

Citing a recent false case of carjacking and kidnapping that was unravelled by an alert Pinetown SAPS sergeant, Heeralall said such a claim could leave locals with the impression that the area where the non-existent crime was reported has become unsafe.

“It also results in people losing faith in the criminal justice system, in particular, the police,” said Heeralall.

Heeralall applauded Detective Sergeant Wiseman Siyabonga Nyawose of the station’s trio crimes teams for solving the false case of carjacking and kidnapping, which was allegedly cooked up by a taxi driver, who has since been arrested for defeating the ends of justice and perjury, as an alibi to cover up their alleged involvement in a foiled business robbery where the taxi they reportedly drive was found at the crime scene.

“This was not the first arrest over a false case,” pointed out Heeralall.

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Heeralall cautioned that opening a false case is a crime and those found guilty will be criminally sentenced and could possibly be held liable for costs incurred by the police in investigating that false case.

“Whatever the reasons may be, do not open false cases,” urged Heeralall.

Lieutenant Colonel Guruduth Doodhnath of the Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences (FCS) Unit echoed Heeralall’s words of caution.

Doodhnath said this unit particularly suffers because of thinly stretched resources meant to service eight police stations.

According to Doodhnath, the unit investigates an average of one to two false cases, although this number has been known to rise to as many as five cases at times. He said each false case consumes valuable time and resources that could otherwise be directed towards genuine victims requiring assistance and justice.

Pinetown SAPS communications officer Jennifer Naidu said: “Every false case investigated takes valuable time and resources away from genuine victims of crime, placing an unnecessary burden on already stretched police resources.”

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