The Emalahleni Magistrate’s Court has sentenced Job Molepo, 28, to three years in jail after he was convicted for vehicle finance fraud.
In July 2022, Molepo approached Eastvaal Isuzu dealership in Witbank to buy the Toyota Avanza vehicle.
According to Warrant Officer Thandi Tshabalala, the Mpumalanga spokesperson for the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation, also known as the Hawks, Molepo submitted all relevant documents to the dealership and his application was approved. The vehicle, a Toyota Avanza was delivered.
“Wesbank as the financing institution, later discovered that the submitted documents were fraudulent. The vehicle was immediately repossessed.”
The matter was reported to the police.
Tshabalala said a case docket was opened and transferred to the Hawks Middelburg-based serious commercial crime investigation unit for further investigation.
“The investigation was conducted and a summon was served,” said Tshabalala.
Molepo was arrested on October 17 last year and appeared before court on several occasions.
“The accused was found guilty and sentenced to three years imprisonment,” said Tshabalala.
Last year, IOL reported that a Limpopo woman, aged 22, was sentenced to pay R10,000 or spend two years in jail after she used fraudulent documents to purchase a Hyundai Atos.
At the time, spokesperson for the Hawks in Limpopo, Lieutenant-Colonel Matimba Maluleke said the Hyundai Atos, valued at over R340,000, was financed by Wesbank in 2022.
“Miranda Thandaza Lubisi was sentenced for fraud by the Polokwane Specialised Commercial Crimes Court on May 12, 2023,” Matimba said.
“On September 16, 2022, the accused visited a vehicle dealership in Tzaneen and showed interest in a Hyundai Atos, valued at R346,122. The accused was assisted by the salesperson at the dealership to apply for vehicle finance that was later approved by the Wesbank.”
Maluleke said the vehicle was delivered to Lubisi.
IOL News