Johannesburg - A Malawian man has been sent to jail for six months on perjury charges, for reporting a false case of house robbery in Johannesburg.
Police said the convicted criminal, Neverson Banda, 28, opened a false house robbery case in June this year.
The Booysens Magistrate's Court, in Johannesburg, this week sentenced the man to six months’ imprisonment.
Johannesburg Central police spokesperson Captain Xoli Mbele said the accused was guarding his boss’s Oakdene property, when he opened the false case of house robbery.
“He told the police that he was asleep, when four suspects forced entry into his room.
“He alleged that one of them pointed a firearm at him, while his accomplices ransacked the house. He said they took undisclosed amount of money belonging to his boss, and two laptops,” he told the police.
Mbele said Bandai also told police that his hands and feet were bound with cables, and he was gagged with tape.
He claimed he had been locked in the bathroom and was rescued by his boss, in the morning, upon his return.
“Dedicated investigating officer of Johannesburg Central Trio detectives Sergeant Malungana became suspicious when inspecting the crime scene.
“The burglar door was not damaged, only the kitchen door was broken.
“All the belongings of his boss were recovered in a steel cabinet, including money.
“The accused apologised and told the police he fabricated the robbery, to take money to go to Malawi, to see his father who was terminally ill.
“He was apprehended and remanded in custody until he was convicted,” said Mbele.
The police have lauded the investigating officer Sergeant Malungana, who is a member of the Johannesburg Central Trio detectives.
“We hope this sentence will scare away would be offenders from opening false cases,” said Mbele.
IOL