Byline: Refeloe Letsoisa
11 August 2022
Witbank Police arrested a 34 year old man for perjury subsequent to him opening a false case in which he claimed to have been a victim of theft out of his motor vehicle on Tuesday, 09 August 2022.
According to the statement released by the office of the SAPS Provincial Commissioner, it is said that the suspect opened the said case at Witbank Police Station on Friday, 05 August 2022.
It is alleged that in the statement that the man gave under oath, he indicated that he drove with his vehicle to a fuel station in Mandela Street in Witbank, wherein after parking it, left his 9 mm pistol with ammunition underneath a seat of his car.
The suspect further alleged that after sometime, he drove back home and that is when he discovered that his fire arm was missing.
After making such allegations, detectives at Witbank SAPS took their time and investigated the case, using all available resources at their disposal.
According to Brigardia Selby Mohlala, spokesperson of the office of the commissioner, as the police proceeded with their probe, something did not add up and after visiting the crime scene to observe the CCTV footage at the fuel station, it was discovered that the story about an alleged theft out of motor vehicle was fabricated.
The suspect was then arrested on Monday, 08 August 2022 and charged for perjury as well as for negligent loss of firearm.
The Provincial Commissioner of the SAPS in Mpumalanga, Lieutenant General Semakaleng Daphney Manamela has welcomed the arrest of the suspect and warned the public not to waste state resources and time which should be directed to those who need them most.
