North men sentenced to collective 41 years for fraud and theft
The pair illegally sold a boat which they took from a repair shop where one of them worked.
Two Pretoria men were sentenced to a collective 41 years in prison for fraud and theft by the Pretoria North magistrate’s court on Friday.
Hugo Ras (53) and Willem Andries van Jaarsveld (56), from Sinoville and Rosslyn, sold a boat that did not belong to them, which they took from a repair shop where Van Jaarsveld worked.
Ras got 29 years’ imprisonment while Van Jaarsveld got 12 years.
“The boat had been taken for repairs to the boat shop where Van Jaarsveld worked.
Ras saw the boat at the repair shop while he was visiting his friend, Van Jaarsveld,” said NPA spokesperson Lumka Mahanjana.
The boat, which belonged to a Conroy du Plessis, was consequently “sold” to one Michel Lester Bolhuis.
Ras offered the boat to Bolhuis for R200 000.
He then, together with Van Jaarsveld, falsified papers of the boat as though Du Plessis sold the boat to Ras.
“Bolhuis reported the transaction to the police after he read in the newspaper that Ras was arrested in another matter,” Mahanjana said.
“Bolhuis told the police that he suspected that the sale might not be legit.
“After police investigations, it was discovered that the sale was indeed fraudulent.”
Ras was also found guilty of possession of an unlawful firearm and ammunition, while van Jaarsveld was additionally found guilty for forgery.
Mahanjana said in May 2013 Ras had gone to a gambling house to gamble.
At that time the police received a tip-off that the gambling house in question was selling drugs.
When police arrived, they searched people at the establishment, including Ras, and found him in possession of an unlawful fire arm and ammunition that belonged to his wife, and he was arrested.
The charge of possession of an unlawful firearm and ammunition was then added to those of an arrest in 2011 for fraud and theft.
Van Jaarsveld was additionally found guilty of forgery.
Prosecutor Hanli du Preez said though the matter took a long time to finalise due to delays caused by Ras’ inability to appear in court, changing his legal representation and being arrested several times on other matters, she was pleased the matter came to completion.
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