The wheels of justice turned speedily for a 32-year-old woman, Vilile Precious Shozi, and an accomplice, 24-year-old Nthokozi Mkhize.
The two were tried and sentenced barely a fortnight after being arrested for fraud and theft.
Two other suspects were acquitted and released.
Shozi was found guilty of theft and sentenced to two years’ imprisonment after pleading guilty in the Ermelo Magistrate’s csourt on Monday 7 September.
Mkhize was found guilty of forgery and uttering and was also found to be in possession of a false identity doccument.
He pleaded guilty and was sentenced to a term of 12 months’ imprisonment or a fine of R15 000.
Both Shozi and Mkhize were declared unfit to possess a firearm.
A motor vehicle, a silver VW Golf, was forfeited to the state.
The sentencing arose from a case of theft that was reported on 27 August in which Shozi duped a victim at an auto-teller in Ermelo and gained possession of his bank card and PIN number.
Later the same day, large amounts of cash were drawn from the victim’s account.
The victim was able to identify Shozi from CC TV footage and members of the local neighbourhood watch spotted the vehicle in which she made her getaway at a shopping centre.
The police were summoned and Shozi and Mkhize were arrested along with two others who were released.
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