A 26-year-old woman from KwaMagwaza in Melmoth, KwaZulu-Natal, has been arrested and charged with perjury after allegedly faking the kidnapping of a baby who never existed.
The Kwa-Zulu Natal police said the woman reported on September 13 that she had been attacked by three men and that her three(3)-month-old child had been snatched. A large search operation, involving several police units, was immediately launched.
However, after hours of searching, investigators discovered that the child was fictitious. Further inquiries revealed the woman had pretended to be pregnant, convincing her boyfriend and his family that she had given birth, while telling her own relatives she had suffered a miscarriage. She was subsequently arrested and charged once her claims were proven false.
This marks the second perjury case in the province this month. In Madadeni, a 21-year-old woman is expected to appear in court on Tuesday after allegedly lying under oath by falsely accusing her uncle of rape. The uncle remains in custody on a separate charge involving his 15-year-old niece. KwaZulu-Natal police urged residents not to file false cases, particularly those relating to sensitive crimes against women and children.
“Reporting a false case is a criminal offence and police will ensure those who waste limited resources are met with the wrath of the law,” said police spokesperson Colonel Robert Netshiunda. “The time police spend investigating imaginary cases could be used to prevent and combat real crimes affecting genuine victims.”
Sub-Editor: Matlala Kgaugelo
