EASTERN CAPE – A year long search has yielded the arrest of a 30-year-old suspect in Johannesburg for charges of perjury after he had reported cases of alleged corruption in Johannesburg and East London against Deputy Chief Justice and the Premier of the Eastern Cape.
The suspect was arrested on Wednesday by the Hawks East London based Serious Corruption Investigation team of the Hawks in a joint collaboration with their Head Office team.
The arrested suspect first reported a case in Gauteng in February 2021. He later opened another case at the East London police during March 2021 against the Deputy Chief Justice and the Premier.
The cases were referred to the Hawks for further probing.
The investigators tried getting hold of the said complainant for an interview in respect of clarity on the allegations presented, and was later traced and interviewed wherein it is claimed that he admitted to have been used by some individuals to make false allegations against the pair.
As the investigators were in the process of obtaining further information from the suspect including his electronic gadgets to assist the probe since he claimed were used during his interaction with the alleged conspirators, he again mysteriously disappeared until his recent arrest.
A case of Perjury was opened after the conflicting versions of his cases.
A case of crimen injuria was also reported by the Premier against the suspect.
The Hawks investigated all four cases in order to determine the truth.
He Hawks has further noted a statements purported to be commissioned at Langlaagte which is none of the ones in the dockets.
The suspect is expected to appear before the East London Magistrate’s court on Thursday, 17 February 2022.
The National Head of the Hawks Lieutenant General Godfrey Lebeya has welcomed this developments in the case. “The DPCI shall conduct its work without fear, favour or prejudice. The law should now be allowed to unfold without distraction so that the truth can be determined,” he said.
Source: South African Police Service