Free State - A Phuthaditjhaba man is facing a perjury charge after falsely reporting that he was robbed of R20 000, Free State police said on Monday.
The 31-year-old, from Intabazwe, alleged that his friends robbed him of the money he intended to use for a lobola payment on Saturday, Sergeant Mmako Mophiring said.
“He told police he was with three friends on his way home from the bank when one of them grabbed him whilst the other two searched and robbed him.”
The man claimed that they took his money and identity document and ran away.
“He went to the Harrismith police station to report the matter and a task team was organised to search for his robbers.”
It was established that the man had not withdrawn the money that day and that the addresses he claimed belonged to the robbers were false.
The identity document he reported as stolen was found in his possession during an interrogation.
“It was also established that the man had planned the whole thing to avoid paying lobola to the parents of his fiancée as he promised,” said Mophiring.
He was arrested and was expected to appear in the Harrismith Magistrate's Court on Tuesday. = Sapa