The Kimberley Commercial Crimes Court has sentenced former Karoo Hoogland Municipality Manager, Louis Nothnagel, 63, to four years of direct imprisonment for fraud, theft, and violating the Municipal Finance Management Act (MFMA).
Nothnagel was found guilty on July 16, 2024 and sentenced on Tuesday, March 11, 2025.
He was charged alongside the former Chief Financial Officer (CFO), who passed away shortly after being arrested in February 2013.
The two were found to have colluded in awarding themselves performance bonuses without the required municipal council approval, breaching financial regulations.
Co-Accused Also Sentenced
Arina Botha, 53, the wife of the late CFO, was found guilty of multiple counts of theft and money laundering.
She received a five-year direct prison sentence and was ordered to repay R200,000 to the state.
Meanwhile, Nothnagel was convicted on 26 counts of fraud and 53 counts of theft under the MFMA (2003).
In addition to his prison term, he must repay R500,000 to the state.
Authorities Applaud Conviction
Major General Stephen Mabuela, Provincial Head of the Hawks in the Northern Cape, praised investigators and prosecutors for their efforts in tackling municipal corruption.
"Local government corruption must be addressed, and this conviction sends a strong message," Mabuela stated.
IOL