A truck driver who ‘cried wolf’ about a hijacking and assault has been arrested.

The driver alleged that he was at Estcourt Ultra City last Wednesday, May 18 when he was hijacked by two armed gunmen. He further alleged that the suspects drove him to Roosboom in Ladysmith where a fight ensued, before the armed suspects fled with the driver’s cellphone and an undisclosed amount of cash.

The Uthukela Cluster Trio Crime Project Task Team recovered the ‘hijacked’ truck later and began their investigation.

“It was subsequently determined that the driver had in fact lied about the hijacking incident in order to cover up the fact that he had caused an accident with the truck in the Roosboom area. The property alleged to have been taken in the truck hijacking was also discovered in the possession of the truck driver,” said police spokesperson Lieutenant Nqobile Gwala.

The truck driver was charged with defeating the ends of justice and appeared in the Ladysmith Magistrate’s Court on Friday, May 20.