By OBAKENG MAJE
10 March 2025- A man (50) was sentenced to six years imprisonment for fraud and theft of a motor vehicle. In November 2020, the accused, Hanro Pietersen, visited the complainant at Riverside Farm, near Plooysburg.
The Northern Cape police spokesperson, Sergeant Molefi Shemane said Pietersen informed the complainant that he was a mechanic and would be able to fix his Nissan X trail vehicle, which is valued at R70 000. Shemane said the victim paid the accused R15 000 to do the repairs on the vehicle and Pietersen then towed the vehicle to Kimberley.
“The accused took the vehicle papers with him and informed the complaint that he was taking the papers in case the police stopped him along the road. Instead, the accused went to the Kimberley Traffic Department and forged the signature of the complainant and put the vehicle on his name.
“After the accused repaired the vehicle, he then sold it to a person in Roodepan in Kimberley. It then came to the attention of the owner that the vehicle has been sold,” he said.
Shemane further said the complainant approached the police and a case of theft of motor vehicle and fraud was registered. He added that, the police recovered the vehicle and arrested the accused.
“On 5 March 2025, the Kimberley Regional Court convicted and sentenced him to six years imprisonment, and he was also declared unfit to possess a firearm,” said Shemane.
Meanwhile, the District Commissioner of Pixley Ka Seme, Major General Nomana Mtukushe, commended the Investigating Officer, Detective Sergeant Samuel Witbooi of De Aar Vehicle Crime Investigation Unit in securing the conviction and bringing the perpetrator to justice.
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