Durban — A 43-year-old man was handed a five-year prison sentence for perjury and extortion.
On Wednesday, the Newcastle Regional Court convicted and sentenced Mbongiseni Kubheka to five years of direct imprisonment for perjury and extortion.
KwaZulu-Natal Hawks spokesperson Lieutenant-Colonel Simphiwe Mhlongo said that in February last year, Kubheka’s employer received a call from the family informing him that his worker Mr Kubheka was not at work and his whereabouts were unknown. They proceeded to the police station to report a missing person.
However, while at the police station, the employer received a call from an unknown suspect who demanded a ransom of R30 000 to release Kubheka.
A bank account number was provided to the employer and a kidnapping case was reported at Charlestown police station.
Mhlongo said the case was assigned to Hawks members from Newcastle Serious Organised Crime Investigation. A detailed investigation was conducted and a week later Kubheka returned home.
“He claimed that he was held against his will by unknown suspects. Hawks members pursued their investigation until they established that Kubheka was lying. Things changed and a case of perjury as well as extortion was registered,” Mhlongo said.
“Kubheka was charged accordingly and appeared in court several times until he was found guilty on Wednesday.”
Reacting, Hawks KZN head Major General (Dr) Lesetja Senona welcomed the sentence handed to the accused and commended the Hawks members for their good work.
“This sentence serves as a lesson to those reporting false cases and abusing state resources unnecessarily,” Senona said.
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