A 42-year-old woman from Dawncrest and her 55-year-old lover are facing serious criminal charges after fabricating a hijacking and kidnapping in Riet River on Thursday, 22 August.
The bizarre scheme unraveled after the woman’s husband alerted authorities, claiming he had received a voice note from her during her alleged ordeal. Prem Balram, head of Reaction Unit South Africa (RUSA), reported that the husband received alarming messages, including pin drops from her phone indicating her location.
“According to the caller, he received a voice note via WhatsApp from his wife informing him that she was in the process of being hijacked on a back road in Riet River. Her husband thereafter received two pin drops from her phone indicating that she was passing Pinetown and Westville. All communication then ended,” said Balram.
The report of the incident was circulated by RUSA to the public via Facebook and other social media platforms to help locate the vehicle. This prompted a widespread search across KwaZulu-Natal as law enforcement agencies mobilised to find the supposedly missing woman.
As the investigation developed, tips began to surface that suggested the woman had staged the entire scenario to be with her lover. Witnesses revealed she was seen driving alone hours after the supposed hijacking, and a Facebook friend noted her activity on social media a day later, contradicting her claims.
Balram said: “Reaction officers received several tip-offs immediately after the circulation became public. Several callers informed officers that the female was involved in an extramarital affair and had faked the hijacking to be with her lover. Officers were forwarded an image of a woman requesting legal assistance in obtaining a divorce. The request made on a public platform was believed to be by the kidnapping victim. Further information was received that the woman was seen driving alone in her car hours after the hijacking was reported.
“A Facebook friend later reported that the woman was active on Facebook Messenger a day after her kidnapping. RUSA could not immediately verify any of the information and continued the search. This information was shared with the relevant role-players actively involved in the search. The RUSA helicopter lifted off on Friday, 23 August, on request from law enforcement in an attempt to locate the missing woman’s white Suzuki Celerio,” said Balram.
He said the woman was located in Newcastle on the morning of Saturday, 24 August, by law enforcement and has been criminally charged after providing fictitious information regarding the alleged hijacking and kidnapping. “Detectives from SAPS Verulam travelled to Newcastle on Saturday evening and transported the female back to eThekwini. She is currently in custody of the South African Police Service (SAPS),” said Balram.
Colonel Robert Netshiunda, KwaZulu-Natal police spokesperson, said that the woman and the man, who is party to the orchestration of her fake kidnapping and aided her in the disposal of her vehicle, were charged with defeating the ends of justice.
“The woman claimed to have been hijacked in Verulam and was locked in the boot of her car where she miraculously managed to send two voice notes messages to her husband. Intelligence uncovered that prior to her imaginary hijacking and kidnapping, the woman had spent some time at a casino. Investigations traced the woman to an overnight accommodation establishment in Newcastle, and realising police were closing in on her, she presented herself to the Newcastle police station on Saturday. She allegedly claimed her kidnappers dropped her off on the side of the road,” said Col Netshiunda.
The incident garnered attention on social media with many expressing shock at the woman’s actions. On Facebook, Zanele Khena said: “I am so annoyed by this selfish behavior. Women are killed daily in this country; this is not something to play around with. May she face the full might of the law for wasting police resources.” Genevieve Kelly expressed sympathy towards the woman’s husband and said: “All I can say is that I feel sorry for the husband. I hope he gets the necessary counselling he requires. Mental health is of extreme importance in circumstances like these. I hope he heals from this horrible experience.”
The suspects appeared in the Verulam Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday, 27 August.
