Witbank Police arrested a 35-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.
It is said that the suspect opened the said case at Witbank Police Station on Friday, 05 August 2022. In the statement that he gave under oath, he indicated that he drove with his vehicle to a fuel station in Mandela Street in Witbank, wherein after parking it, he left his 9 mm pistol with ammunition underneath the seat of his car.
The suspect further alleged that after some time, he drove back home and then discovered that his firearm was missing.
After making such allegations, Detectives at Witbank SAPS thoroughly investigated the case, using all available resources at their disposal. As they 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 a motor vehicle was fabricated.
The suspect was then arrested on Monday, 08 August 2022, and charged with perjury as well as negligent loss of a firearm.
The Provincial Commissioner of the SAPS in Mpumalanga, Lieutenant General Semakaleng Daphney Manamela 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.