Shock over ‘Tsotsi’ star’s arrest

PRETORIA – The star of the Oscar-winning movie ‘Tsotsi’ was arrested in Pretoria on Tuesday night on a charge of fraud after being trapped with an allegedly false driver’s licence.

Presley Chweneyagae, 22, shot to fame last year when ‘Tsotsi’ won the Oscar for Best Foreign Movie. Claudia O’Brian, project manager of vehicle investigations at the special enquiries unit, confirmed that Chweneyagae was arrested on fraud charges.He apparently tried to convert a licence for the Ivory Coast to a South African licence.Chweneyagae was allowed bail of R2 000 after being charged at the Lyttelton Police Station in Centurion.He also had in his possession a letter, possibly forged, from the Ivory Coast Embassy, stating that he had a valid driver’s licence.Moonyeenn Lee, the agent for the movie ‘Tsotsi’, was shocked at his arrest and confirmed that Chweneyagae had never visited the Ivory Coast.”Why would he do that? He doesn’t drive!”.Lee could not speak to him herself on Tuesday because he had changed the sim card in his cellphone.She heard of his arrest from a friend.”It must be a joke.I know for a fact that Presley never drives.We always arrange a car for him or his friends collect him.He’s never had a driver’s licence and I don’t think he’s even applied for a learner’s licence.””He’s never had money to learn, and I don’t think he’s got the money for that today.He doesn’t have money to buy a car because he gives most of his money to his mother,” Lee said.Lee denied rumours that Presley had required a driver’s licence for his role in the movie.”Most of that footage was shot on deserted roads, so he didn’t need one.”BeeldClaudia O’Brian, project manager of vehicle investigations at the special enquiries unit, confirmed that Chweneyagae was arrested on fraud charges.He apparently tried to convert a licence for the Ivory Coast to a South African licence.Chweneyagae was allowed bail of R2 000 after being charged at the Lyttelton Police Station in Centurion.He also had in his possession a letter, possibly forged, from the Ivory Coast Embassy, stating that he had a valid driver’s licence.Moonyeenn Lee, the agent for the movie ‘Tsotsi’, was shocked at his arrest and confirmed that Chweneyagae had never visited the Ivory Coast.”Why would he do that? He doesn’t drive!”.Lee could not speak to him herself on Tuesday because he had changed the sim card in his cellphone.She heard of his arrest from a friend.”It must be a joke.I know for a fact that Presley never drives.We always arrange a car for him or his friends collect him.He’s never had a driver’s licence and I don’t think he’s even applied for a learner’s licence.””He’s never had money to learn, and I don’t think he’s got the money for that today.He doesn’t have money to buy a car because he gives most of his money to his mother,” Lee said.Lee denied rumours that Presley had required a driver’s licence for his role in the movie.”Most of that footage was shot on deserted roads, so he didn’t need one.”Beeld