Pastor in court after his Daihatsu car broke down, and he claimed he was hijacked
The 68-year-old Limpopo pastor was being driven in his Daihatsu Terios and after the car broke down, and its gearbox was stolen, he reported to police that he had been hijacked.
A 68-year-old Limpopo-based pastor is expected to appear before the Polokwane Magistrate's Court on Monday, facing a charge of furnishing false information to the police.
Provincial police spokesperson, Colonel Malesela Ledwaba, said on Friday, the 68-year-old man allegedly went to the Westenburg police station to open a case of car hijacking. That incident had apparently happened along the R37 road.
The man of the cloth allegedly told police that he was driving to Polokwane in a Daihatsu Terios vehicle when he noticed two men who were hitchhiking on the road. The pastor said he offered the two men a lift to Polokwane.
'The suspect (pastor) alleged that while on the way, the two suspects hijacked him at gunpoint. He further alleged that on the same day he found his motor vehicle on the R37 road without a gearbox,' said Ledwaba.
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An investigation was conducted and led police in the Lebowakgomo policing area to a vehicle repairs workshop.
Also, an owner of a scrapyard informed the police that the pastor had requested the service of a tow truck, after his car broke down because of gearbox failure.
Ledwaba said it was discovered by police that the pastor was being driven by his personal driver when the vehicle broke down. He paid 50 percent of the money by the workshop for the service of his gearbox.
However, the gearbox got stolen.
'Later on, the suspect changed the tune to confirm that the carjacking never took place, and he was arrested for furnishing false information,' said Ledwaba.
Meanwhile, acting provincial commissioner of police in Limpopo, Major General Samuel Manala has welcomed the arrest.
'These kinds of false cases stretch the resources unnecessarily and in the process the most deserving complaints are denied the opportunity to be attended to promptly,' said Manala.
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