Louis Bothma was sentenced to three years’ imprisonment for fraud in the Bethal Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday, 13 June.
This came after he defrauded Mr Petrus Rudman of Morgenzon through an OLX advert.
Mr Rudman contacted Bothma, the owner of a motorcycle R6 Yamaha, that was for sale.
He was asked to deposit R5 000 and then to pay the rest in instalments.
Mr Rudman made the deposit.
Mr Bothma telephonically informed him that he would deliver the motorcycle.
Mr Rudman never met him and communicated via the telephone and text messages.
He later realised he would never receive the motorcycle and went to the Standerton Police Station to report the matter.
A case was opened and was later transferred to Bethal SAPS.
Through police investigation, led by Det Const Khomotjo Nkadimeng, police tracked down Bothma’s bank account.
It was discovered that he was serving a sentence at Standerton Prison for a similar offence.
Const Thomas Mogadime, Communication and Social Crime Prevention Officer, said: “Based on the number of fraud incidents in the country, we urge the community to refrain from making a deal or buying property on the Internet.
“They must not be fooled by someone and deposit money into a bank account without first seeing the item or goods physically and meeting with the owner or seller.”
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