Johannesburg - A man who staged his own hijacking and burnt the car to defraud his insurance as he was unable to cope with installments has been slapped with a seven-year sentence.
Ashley Naiker defrauded the company of more than R300 000 that was paid to him after reporting that his Volvo V40 T3 had been hijacked and burnt in October 2016. However, he was nabbed after it turned that he sought to help of his friends to stage the hijacking and burning of the car.
It turned out was unable to cope with the installments, which is why he faked the hijacking so that the insurance could settle the debt.
Naicker reported a case of hijacking at the Brakpan police station that his car, valued at around R400 000 had been hijacked.
Gauteng police spokesperson Colonel Lungelo Dlamin said Naicker then put in a claim and his insurance company paid.
"Police and his employer, Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Municipality, investigated his claims and came to a conclusion that he made false case,” Dlamini said.
He said before reporting the incident, Naiker had got two of his colleagues to "hijack" him and take the vehicle to the veld between Brakpan and Tsakane, where they burnt it.
The only thing that was taken during the alleged hijacking was the vehicle and Naiker was still in possession of his other properties, he said.
Dlamini said Naiker was arrested in June 9 2017 after police managed to trace his colleagues who share every detail of the planned hijacking.
“Police further established he was assisted by his colleague to burn the vehicle. He was arrested and convicted at the Springs Magistrate Court,” Dlamini added.
Dlamini further added that it is criminal to lay false charges as police waste a lot of human and physical resources which may be provided to the citizens who are in need of the services.
“False charges also adds to crime statistics which may in turn indicate false alarm about increasing levels of crime,” he said.