Durban - A KZN man who opened a false hijacking case with police has been convicted for defeating the ends of justice and fined R1000.
Thabo Donono Mkhuphuki, 25, pleaded guilty in the Ramsgate Magistrate’s Court this week.
According to KZN police Mkhuphuki had opened a case with police saying that he had been hijacked in the Margate area on September 28.
Police spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Thulani Zwane said Mkhuphuki alleged he picked up a hitchhiker who subsequently hijacked him.
"However detectives probing the case were not convinced with his story and confronted Mkhuphuki with their suspicions.
"He later admitted that he had not been hijacked," said Zwane.
He said the suspect was immediately arrested and charged with defeating the ends of justice.
"The sentence is welcomed by detectives and serves as a warning to those who open false cases and waste valuable police resources in the process," said Zwane.