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A Free State Agriculturalist who tampered with an Eskom electricity meter on his farm in Petrusburg received a suspended sentence of five years.
Willem Christiaan Venter's tampering cost Eskom nearly R800 000.
Venter was found guilty and sentenced last week on four counts of malicious damage to property under the Criminal Amendments Act of Essential Services.
Through audits and an investigation by the Hawks, it was found that Venter tampered with the electricity meter on his farm from 2016 until 2019.
The total electricity usage to the value of R770 143.67 was not registered by the meter.
Venter pleaded guilty on all four charges and is also responsible for the damage as stated by the utility (R770 143.67 excluding VAT).
Eskom’s Provincial Senior Manager on Customer Service, Bibi Bedir said she hoped that the judgement would act as a stern warning to others who choose to tamper with their electrical installations.
