Durban — A Durban meter taxi driver was charged with perjury after lying to police that he was hijacked on Sunday.
The 41-year-old driver will make his next appearance in the Verulam Magistrate's Court on Monday.
According to Phoenix police station spokesperson Captain Louise Naidoo, the driver arrived at the Community Service Centre to report a hijacking.
“The driver allegedly told police he was a meter taxi driver, and on Friday, he picked up some clients from Hillhead Drive in Phoenix. The driver told police that while he was driving, his clients robbed him of his vehicle and held him hostage at an unknown location. The driver further alleged that on Saturday night, he managed to escape. He came straight to Phoenix SAPS to report the hijacking.
Naidoo said that the Phoenix Trio Crime Prevention B group members followed up on information about the hijacked motor vehicle.
Police found it parked at Isipingo SAPS.
“On interviewing the driver, it was established via his admission that he had parked the vehicle at SAPS Isipingo and threw the keys at the Johannes Nkosi Street or Alice street railway line and opened a false case.”
The driver took Phoenix police to the railway lines, where the key chain and gear lock keys were recovered and then to SAPS Isipingo, where the vehicle he reported as hijacked was recovered.
The driver was charged with perjury and defeating the ends of justice.
The Phoenix SAPS station commander Brigadier BM Zondi condemned the actions of the suspect as police resources were utilised in investigating a false case, whereas more serious cases could have been attended to.
Zondi also expressed his gratitude to the detectives for speedily cracking the case and arresting the driver suspect. Zondi added that this should be a deterrent to others.
Daily News