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A NORTHERN Cape man has been sentenced to an effective four years behind bars for fraud and money laundering.
David Schalk Opperman was convicted in the Kimberley Specialised Commercial Crime Court on November 23.
According to the Directorate for Priority Crimes Investigations (the Hawks), the incident took place in 2020.
Provincial Hawks spokesperson Warrant Officer Nomthandazo Mnisi said: “Opperman and Theodorus McKenzie entered into a contract with the complainant to sell his agricultural chemicals on behalf of Lowveld/Laeveld Agrochem based in Hartswater.
“The complainant received a stock report through his e-mail and noticed that the accused gave him false reports indicating that certain stock items were still at Hartswater's warehouse, whereas they were already sold.”
Mnisi said clients made payments into bank accounts belonging to Harts Crop Protection CC, which was contrary to their contract.
“According to the contract agreement, clients were supposed to deposit funds into the Lowveld/Laeveld Agrochem bank account.”
Mnisi said the company suffered an actual loss exceeding R2 million.
Charges against McKenzie were withdrawn, while Harts Crop Protection CC was found guilty of fraud and sentenced to pay a fine of R50,000 earlier this month.