A 29-year-old woman who allegedly lied about being hijacked and kidnapped in Gauteng last week has been charged with contravening Section 9 of the Commissioners of Oath Act by making false statements under oath.
Phindile Kunene, appeared in the Protea Magistrates' Court this week where she was granted bail of R2 000.
Kunene, who is known as Simphiwe Manzini Mtimande on Facebook, posted on 19 May at 8.54 pm that she had been hijacked and bundled into the boot of her car.
"I just been hijacked, I'm in the boot of my car, they took my other phone thinking I have one...I'll update u till I'm no more....."
Four minutes later she posted; "Those of you who have me on WhatsApp please check for my live location...IV just been hijacked"
For an hour, between 9.30 and 10.30 pm, she posted that her phone battery was on 15% and then shared her registration number in case she died.
By this time her pleas went viral on social media platforms and #FindSimphiwe was soon trending.
Police dispatched all their available resources to search for "Simphiwe" who continued updating her social media followers from the "boot" of her car.
Just after 10 pm she posted that her hijackers were arguing over who would have sex with her and she later said that her battery was dying and that she at least had a pair of scissors to protect herself.
At 2 am the following morning she announced that she was safe but would not share her location as she feared for her life.
The woman, whose real name is Phindile Kunene, even went to the Protea Glen police station the following day to report the hijacking.
National Prosecuting Authority spokesperson, Phindi Mjonondwane, said the case against her postponed to 18 June for further investigations.
