GAUTENG. –  An urgent search party was activated after police from various provinces including Gauteng, Mpumalanga and the North West noted a string of social media posts about the said kidnapping and hijacking.

Police spokesperson Captain Mavela Masondo says, “In her statement given under oath to the police, the suspect described how on Wednesday evening, 19 May 2021, her vehicle was taken by unknown men who put her inside the boot and drove around with her for the better part of the evening in Mohlakeng, Randfontein.”

A team under the leadership of West Rand District Commissioner Major General Fred Kekana, comprising of senior detectives, members of crime intelligence and other police response units, that worked throughout the night to locate the “hijacked woman” swiftly established discrepancies in the supposed victim’s statement.

Masondo states further investigations revealed that the said hijacking and kidnapping report was false and this was subsequently corroborated by the woman’s confession that she was never kidnapped.

“Police confiscated the car of the suspect that she alleged was hijacked, her two cellphones, including the one she claimed was taken by the “hijackers” and made an immediate arrest.”

Gauteng Police Commissioner, Lieutenant General Elias Mawela welcomed the arrest and commended the arresting and investigating teams who through paying attention to detail, were to notice discrepancies in the woman’s false report.

“While at this stage the motive behind this alleged fabrication is unclear, this is something that should be condemned as mischievous and malicious given the time and resources that were promptly deployed as soon as police learnt of this supposed hijacking and kidnapping.

“Members of the public are cautioned to refrain from reporting false cases pushing police to deploy resources that should rather be channelled at combating genuine serious and violent crimes.”

The woman is due to appear in court on Monday after the case was moved to Randfontein.