Liquor truck driver arrested after being 'hijacked'

A Port Elizabeth has been arrested after he reported a fake hijacking.

Elton Schoeman, 30, claimed he was hijacked at gunpoint by unknown males at about 3.30am on Saturday on the N2 near Bluewater Bay.

“The suspect was the driver of a truck which was loaded with liquor to the value of R800,000,” police spokeswoman Colonel Priscilla Naidu said.

“On further probing, the driver alleged that he was not robbed, but instead agreed with the unknown men to steal the liquor. More arrests are imminent.”

Naidu said Schoeman, who was arrested on Monday by the Provincial Organised Crime Port Elizabeth, was detained in terms of the contravention of the Commissioner of Justice and Oaths Act, Section 9 – making a false statement under oath and theft.

He appeared in the Motherwell Magistrate’s Court and was released on R500 bail. The case was postponed to July 2.

Motherwell cluster commander Major-General Dawie Rabie warned communities that they would “not hesitate to arrest and detain those who open false cases”.

“The cases opened are very serious allegations and require intensive investigation which entail many long hours, manpower and resources,” Rabie said.

“These resources could have been fruitfully utilised in more urgent matters of policing.”