Police in Mpumalanga have welcomed the sentence meted against 20-year-old, Thembekile Verlina Sigwili who was sentenced for perjury on Friday, 26 June 2020, by the Emalahleni Periodical Court sitting at Vosman. The police believe that the sentence will definitely serve as a deterrent to others who often open false cases.
Sigwili was given a R500-00 fine or twelve months imprisonment, wholly suspended for five years for opening a false case on 25 November 2019, claiming she was raped.
Her lies came on the spotlight when police unraveled the truth after she said a certain man raped her, however it appeared that she voluntarily visited the man where they had unprotected sex. She then opened a false case to be able to source tablets from the hospital which will assist her from falling pregnant.
The Provincial Commissioner of the South African Police Service in Mpumalanga, Lieutenant General Mondli Zuma, became perturbed when hearing about the false claims made by Sigwili and indicated that rape is a serious crime and it cannot be allowed that someone makes mockery of it.
The President of the Republic, Honourable Cyril Ramaphosa said GBV is the second pandemic following the Coronavirus and as police, we regard rape seriously under the prevailing scourge of GBV,” said General Zuma. He further said that during the process of investigation, police had to apply technical investigative methods as well as visiting the crime scene. All these required them to use resources and time which they could have diverted these resources to authentic cases.
“I am delighted though that the police managed to unearth overwhelming evidence which exposed Sigwili on her lies,” said General Zuma.
“The public should understand that police work is not just a job but forms part of the Criminal Justice System, therefore it is sad to learn that some people have guts to approach the police and lodge false allegations. I condemn what she did however, welcome the sentence as it serve as a deterrent.
South Africa Today – South Africa News
