Station commander warns: Open false cases and you will be prosecuted
The Middelburg police station commander, brig. Thandi Jiyani, has issued a warning to residents against opening false cases.
The warning comes on the back of a surge of reported business robbery cases opened by business owners in the central business district.
It seems that several business owners alleged that they were robbed by men with balaclavas and guns, but indications are that the cases are opened to claim from their insurance.
Brig. Jiyani warned that such cases will be diligently investigated and if there are evidence that false reports were made, the guilty parties will be charged with perjury.
Perjury is a common law offence and if you were to be found guilty, you can be sentenced to up to three years imprisonment.
Not only is it a criminal offence to open a false case for insurance purposes, it also wastes state resources that could have been utilized elsewhere, the Middelburg police warned.
