Police nab suspected livestock thieves
FOUR men were arrested by the police after they were found transporting pig carcasses near Barkly West.
Members of the Northern Cape SAPS Provincial Organised Crime Investigation unit were conducting investigation duties and the tracing of wanted suspects in the vicinity of Barkly West on February 1, at around 3.30am, when they noticed a suspicious vehicle and decided to stop it.
Provincial police spokesperson Sergeant Merapelo Pilane said the occupants tried to flee the scene and abandoned their vehicle.
“All four men were apprehended and arrested. Upon further investigation, eight pig carcasses were found in the loading bin of the bakkie. None of the men could provide a satisfactory explanation regarding the ownership of the carcasses.”
Pilane added that the four suspects, who are aged between 29 and 33 years old, were expected to appear in the Barkly West Magistrate’s Court soon on charges of stock theft.
In an unrelated case, a 48-year-old man, Norman William Ellis, was sentenced in the Specialised Commercial Crimes Court in Kimberley on February 2 after he was convicted on charges of theft, fraud and corruption.
Hawks provincial spokesperson Nomthandazo Mnisi said a complainant placed an order to purchase livestock from Ellis, who purported to be a livestock farmer.
“He deposited a total amount of R87,500 into the accused’s bank account between June and July 2018.”
Mnisi added that Ellis failed to deliver the livestock. “It was later established that he was actually a conman.
“In another separate but related matter, Ellis went to a dealership and offered to trade in his vehicle and use it as a deposit to buy a bakkie. During the vehicle finance deal process, he borrowed an amount of R118,000 from the complainant. The loan was never settled as agreed.”
Mnisi stated that Ellis was found guilty and sentenced to five years direct imprisonment for each of the cases, without any option of a fine.
“Both sentences will run concurrently,” she said.