Police detain two more men for spreading 'fake news'
Lesedi Mkhutshwa | Wednesday April 15, 2020 13:56
Speaking against the spread of fake news and false audios, Letlhakane Station Commander, Michael Maphephu disclosed that his office has detained two men on separate occasions over the weekend after they spread fake news and a false audio, that later circulated on social media.
He also revealed that a 28-year-old man of Tawana ward was arrested and detained after unlawfully publishing a misleading and WhatsApp audio message shared on different groups stating that there is a woman in the village who was diagnosed with the Coronavirus disease.
Maphephu said the suspect who is an employee of Lazembly Company further stated in the WhatsApp audio that the woman was in isolation at one of the lodges in the village.
He said that the audio caused fear amongst the villagers in Letlhakane and surrounding areas.
Maphephu also said the incident is not the first incident of its kind as his office has over the weekend arrested a 41-year-old man of Letlhakane for allegations of maliciously publishing through social media a picture of a person with abrasions on the back.
He said the suspect claimed that a person was brutally assaulted by the law enforcement officers during the enforcement of COVID-19 precautionary measures.
Maphephu warned the public to desist from publishing misleading information on social media.
Letlhakane station commander also complained that since the beginning of the lockdown operation, they have fined 70 people P1000 each for failing to remain in confinement during the lockdown.
He added: “We have also arrested six people for unlawfully possessing dagga. We caught some people red handed during police roadblocks and some were smoking it in their compounds'.
Maphephu further said on Easter Monday his office arrested an employee of Lejo Complex supermarket in Mosu village who was caught in the act of selling alcohol illegally to some of the villagers.
He said that the employee was charged P5,000 for failing to comply with the new regulations.